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Volunteers

Reflecting on Spring 2026: Building Impact, Looking Ahead to Summer

As we begin to wrap up the 2026 spring volunteer season and prepare for the summer 2026 summer volunteer season, we would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who visited us and provided essential services and resources to the communities we support.

This spring, volunteers contributed to a wide range of CRHF programs, including youth development initiatives in arts, sports, tutoring, languages, and technology. Visiting groups also led impactful health and health education activities, offering support in areas such as nutrition, basic medical check-ups, vision care, and dental services.

In addition, past and long-term volunteers have been working diligently to organize medical records and other key data for the Foundation. This effort allows us to reflect on the impact we have made across different regions of Costa Rica over the decades and helps guide our future work.

Our collaborators continue to provide excellent services as we strive to improve our programs and maximize the resources made available to us.

Volunteer group visits not only strengthen our capacity to serve communities, but their contributions also play a vital role in ensuring our financial sustainability. This support allows us to plan and implement medium- and long-term programs through our model of development.

As the days begin to grow warmer, we are preparing for volunteer groups visiting in the summer of 2026. We look forward to continuing our partnerships with groups who have supported us over the years, and we are equally excited to welcome new groups. We invite anyone interested in supporting our work to reach out and learn how you can be part of this positive change.

Ready to make a meaningful impact this summer?
Join our Summer 2026 volunteer programs and become part of a hands-on effort to support communities across Costa Rica. Whether your strengths are in education, health, youth development, or community building, there’s a place for you to contribute.

Spots are filling quickly—reach out today to learn more about available dates, program options, and how you or your group can get involved.

Be part of the change. Volunteer with us this summer.

Charitable Contribution, Success Stories, Volunteers

TBT ThrowBackThursday – La Promesa

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The year was 1997, the CRHF had just been legally founded in Santa Ana. Our volunteer work was centered in this area of Costa Rica. Down the street from the Foundation/Educational Resource Center was a squatter community of around eighty families. (more on the ERC in future posts)

The Beginnings

We mainly focused our volunteer work in La Promesa with single women heads of household, some of who were Nicaraguan refugees. The houses were all made of tin and some wood with dirt floors.

This is when our bunkbed program started with the Boy Scouts of CR. We also had our first theatre presentation called “Your Home Is Where Your Heart Is”

Reallocation

After more than 4 years of squatting the land, the government institutions were able to come to a peaceful resolution and reallocate the community to a low-income housing development. The CRHF served as a mediator and was able to help with the transition.

The houses the government agencies built are a simple but durable design made of prefabricated concrete. The CRHF, with the help of numerous volunteers helped paint and beautify the community, including gardening and cleaning-ups.

Right Action

In 2003 we began the construction of a two-story community center (seen in the picture) which culminated in 2005. This in part thanks to the efforts of national and international donors and volunteers. This center served as one of our first Family Well-Being Centers (FWBC). This is a model we have replicated throughout some of the most impoverished and marginalized communities in Costa Rica.

The community as a whole then reached what our Poverty Reduction Model of Development (PREMDEV) would call a level of Right Action. This means we were no longer needed as they were able to become self-sufficient in a sustainable way. By that time we had already began working in La Carpio and with children living on the street.

Transparency

You can read more in the 2005 year end report, the FWBC’s and the PREMDEV on the CRHF.org website. By clicking on the magnifying glass, you can search for this information using keywords such as “Family well being” or “La Promesa”.

As part of our transparency pillar, we try to make all our projects and financial reports as available as possible. Financial reports are available upon request. Please consider volunteering with the CRHF and for your donations to nonprofits in Costa Rica. Click here to donate or below for paypal. Thank You For Sharing Our Dream!

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