Local Hope-Xela AID

Non profit organization

Founded in 1992, Local Hope (Xela AID Guatemala) provides low- and no-cost health and mental health care and clean water support; intensive support for education including a Montessori Preschool, Educational Scholarships, a Study Center and Adult Literacy Program, and certified COVID-safe Computer Lab; a Leadership Certificate Program, job skills training; and social services included a Special Needs Program for Children and Youth with Disabilities and a budding program for senior support. These programs serve approximately 5000 people annually.

During COVID, we launched an Emergency Food Security Operation, including nutritious food for cooking at home, and hot meals and nutritional supplement for the young. At this writing that program had provided life-saving food to 20,000 people in 50 communities.

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Target populations:

Women

Men

Girls

Boys

Indigenous peoples

Elderly

Youth

Focus areas:

Education

Children at risk

Family

Inclusion/Special needs

Health

Entrepreneurship/Business

Environment

Water and sanitation

Development/Community infrastructure

Key service areas:

Quetzaltenango (San Martín Chiquito, San Martín Sacatepequez)

Organizational contacts & locations

Contacts

Leslie Baer

Executive Director

(+1) 951 733-2588

Mel Dinkel

Treasurer and COO

(+1) 714 322-0974

Jackie McDougall

LEAP Scholarship Program Director

(+1) 805 712-8696

Locations

Mission, vision & values

Mission

Local Hope (Xela AID Guatemala) empowers communities and families to become healthy, educated and self-reliant.

Vision

We envision a community with healthy, educated families; empowered women; and satisfying work at livable wages that make it possible for youth to thrive safe at home.

Values

We value outcomes

local solutions

transparency

integrity

respect

and equality.

Products, services, and programs

Services

We offer the following services:

Health Care at Xela AID Clinic
Mental Health Care at Xela AID Clinic
Enrollment at Xela AID Montessori Preshool
Study Center educational support
Educational support at COVID-safe computer laboratory
Adult Literacy Classes
Special Needs Support for Children with Disabilities
Support for Seniors
Emergency Food Security

Programs

We offer the following programs:

Health Care at Xela AID Clinic
Mental Health Care at Xela AID Clinic
Education Programs Pre-K through College plus Adult Literacy
Special Needs Support for Children with Disabilities
Support for Seniors
Emergency Food Security
Meaningful volunteer opportunities in Guatemala

Organizational detail

Founded

1992

Number of employees

11-25

Funding

Private donations

Private grants

Earned income

Primary issue(s) / need(s) addressed

The need for high-quality health, mental health care, equal access to education, gender equity, clean water, teacher training, services for special needs children, youth, and families, domestic violence prevention, and family planning in the communities in which we work.

Impact, adaptations & objectives

Impact to date

5,000 people per year pre-COVID;
50 village/20,000 people 2020/2021;
Increase from 4%-68% (2021) of girls participating in education system locally;
Drastic decrease in birth rate among participating families from 6 children average in 1992 to 3 in 2021;
Participants in our programs represented the VERY FIRST Mám-speaking high school graduates in the regions, and first college grads.
Provided clean water for 21,000 people.
Significant additional impacts during 3 decades of operation.

Impact measuring

Through Xela AID Clinic and statistics kept over 30 years
Data collection put in place by college professor-volunteer in 1993

Organizational adaptations

Size and/or structure

Key offerings

Target issue

Mission

vision and/or values

Funding model

Way in which you collaborate or work with others

Profile updated: 01/09/23

Local Hope-Xela AID