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<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOur thrid quarterly CRHF Newsletter update<\/a> highlighted numerous successes and our ongoing upward spiral model work. We focused on health, health education, general education, sports, hosting a family from France\/UK, building bunk beds, and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For the final quarter of 2024, we proudly inaugurated a health clinic created and managed by Francisco in collaboration with the local indigenous association, the Ministry of Employment, and the CCSS. This project was financed by the Swiss Embassy in Central America and the CCSS. We also unveiled the new CRHF HQ: Casa Quetzal Retreat and Conference Center, a developing project designed to host volunteers and beneficiaries while focusing on preventive health, health education, peace, and collaboration. Our food program continues to provide over 2,000 people with nutritious meals every week, laying the foundation for their independence. Additionally, we offer dietary and health education to beneficiaries through this program. In October, Gail was invited to be a keynote speaker at the Sustainability in a Global Environment Conference hosted by Troy University. She shared the stage with experts from PROCOMER, Universidad Fid\u00e9litas, and other distinguished professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We resumed our monthly children\u2019s program for the youth of Uvita. Looking ahead to 2025, we aim to expand this initiative and welcome volunteer teachers and donors to support its relaunch. The program, paused during the pandemic due to funding shortages, costs approximately $800 per month to operate.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n In September, we celebrated Children\u2019s Day with movies, popcorn, and snacks. Nearly 800 youth enjoyed a leisurely day. Later in the month, we participated in Costa Rica\u2019s Independence Day festivities on September 15th, which included dances, costumes, faroles, and a lively parade featuring thousands of youth from neighboring communities. In October, a group of volunteers from Ohio delivered a generous supply of school materials. The children expressed heartfelt gratitude, and the volunteers learned more about our Model of Poverty Reduction and community efforts. On October 12th, we celebrated Gail Nystrom\u2019s 75th birthday with collaborators and youth from La Libertad. It was a joyous day filled with dancing, singing, and heartfelt moments. We welcomed the Yoga Teachers from Lakshmi Rising lead by Liz. We have been working on strengthening the physical and mental health of our beneficiaries through different meditation, breathing and yoga techniques. This will be Lakshmi’s second season with the CRHF and we look forward to building this relationship into the future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Other notable volunteer contributions included: We also hosted a multidisciplinary group through a partner organization. Their visit, centered on health and health education, included creative puppetry workshops to engage communities. In late October we were invited to a NGO Fair hosted by ServiceNow focusing on CSR. We were able to showcase our work, alongside other NGOs, to the employees of the company. We are working on increasing our collaboration in the CSR field with the numerous offshore and local companies in Costa Rica. We hosted chiropractic care for nearly 300 beneficiaries with the help of new friends from Minnesota. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and we look forward to their future visits. The year ended with our annual Christmas Parties<\/a>, bringing joy to over 800 youth with gifts, snacks, and activities\u2014made possible by our dedicated donors since 1997.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Grupo Diplomatico de Costa Rica continues to support the CRHF in many ways with focus on education. They also visited Casa Quetzal Retreat and Conference Center where we hope to continue to host conferences on Peace and Collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n Finally, for four days including on New Year\u2019s Eve, Amigos Eyecare provided eye care, totalling nearly 1,000 beneficiaries in La Carpio for the year. They also conducted a reconnaissance visit to indigenous territories for future collaborations. We remain committed to improving lives in 2025 and beyond. Thank you to all our donors, volunteers, and partners <\/a>who make this work possible. We continue to work with La Carpio, Rural, Coastal and Indigenous communities through our Poverty Reduction Model of Development<\/a>. Thanks to all your efforts and support we are a force to reckoned with and are making significant improvements in the lives of our beneficiaries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We will be publishing our full 2024 Year End Report in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We now have <\/p>\n\n\n\n Thank you for sharing our dream!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The last quarter CRHF newsletter of 2024 is full of activities and projects. Our thrid quarterly CRHF Newsletter update highlighted numerous successes and our ongoing upward spiral model work. We focused on health, health education, general education, sports, hosting a family from France\/UK, building bunk beds, and much more. For the final quarter of 2024, … Continue reading CRHF Fourth Quarter Newsletter<\/span>
Read more about the clinic here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read more about it here here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Learn more about it here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nChildren\u2019s Programs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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See part of the celebration here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
View highlights here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nVolunteer Contributions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
See their visit here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
See the celebration here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\u2022 Stephen, long-term individual volunteer, continues to support our regular activities, give english classes and invent creative ways to help educate youth.
\u2022 Hannah from West Virginia<\/a>, having never left the states and who braved new experiences to work with youth development.
\u2022 Valeria<\/a>, a psychology student, who provided mental health resources during her university service.
\u2022 Keren Hern\u00e1ndez from the University of South Carolina<\/a>, who conducted PhD research on food security among refugees.
Learn more about their contributions.
\u2022 Adriana and Ramon who came in during the holiday’s and provided interpretation for the Amigos optometrist medical crew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
See more here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nSuccess Stories<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 In November, we secured funding to provide a new home for a family of eight in La Carpio. Thanks to our donors, the younger children now have the opportunity to grow up in a healthier environment.
Read the full story.<\/a>
\u2022 Alan, a beneficiary we have supported for years after a workplace accident, received a prosthetic leg and is walking independently again.
See his progress.<\/a>
\u2022 We also bid our farewell and safe passage to our longtime collaborator Jairo. He has been with us for almsot a decade working in the foodbank and other activities. He is off to Spain supported by the IOM and the CRHF. We will be here to ensure he gets settled in safely.
View more here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPartnerships and Events<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
View more here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read more.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
See their impact here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nLooking Ahead<\/h2>\n\n\n\n