College Graduate from Casa MAMi teaches the girls & CHRISTMAS CARDS FOR SALE!

You may remember that, due to the violence and some bullying problems, the younger children are schooled at Casa MAMi. Flora graduated last week from the university with a degree in Psychology. She is now employed at Casa MAMi as a classroom teacher.
Here is the report of the most recent staff / board meeting - Thank you, Celia!

WE WILL BE SELLING THE CHRISTMAS CARDS, BEGINNING NOVEMBER FIRST!

Monthly Meeting Notes for July, August, September 2012

Meeting Held on October 17, 2013

Note:  this is an open meeting. All BOD’s are welcome.

On Wednesday at 10 pm at the home of Elma Fonseca, Maria Patterson, Celia Thrash, and Abraham Trevino Esquivel met for a review of operations for the months of July, August, and September.

Celia and Maria apologized for not being able to attend earlier.  Due to surgeries, hospital stays and traveling, they were not able to attend meeting dates.

Children:  Casa Hogar currently has 169 children.  Of those children, 100 sleep at Casa Hogar ~ 33 boys, and 67 girls.

Additionally, 4 babies that have been abandoned are currently residing at Casa Hogar.

Currently (as of October 2013) we have 52 in Kinder and Day Care, 87 in Primary grades.   These children are home schooled in the building.  18 children in secundaria, and 5 in preparatoria go to school in Reynosa.   We currently have 3 at the University. 

Recently Elma has accepted 4 children that came to Casa Hogar starving and malnourished.  They are on Ensure and a balanced diet to revive their health.

Parenting Program.  Currently 45-50 parents are attending our weekly meetings.  Many have been assigned to go through Mexico’s DIF program.  They are fed and are studying National programs that have been sent to Casa Hogar.  Currently ANSPAC (A National Association for Family Growth) has sent a program for the parenting classes.

Psychological.  Reynosa’s DIF program is working arm in arm with Casa Hogar.  Twice a week they send one of their psychologists to work with the children.

Budget:  The Budget, though excepted is going through some changes.

Because of the need to include construction costs for the Boy’s unit, we are submitting line items in the budget report to help give an accurate picture of donations.  We also have added a line item for transfers from the money market account for those special needs.  Additionally, since its official opening in September, the Boy’s unit has its own budget report.   With our current growth, a more sophisticated budget reporting system has to be used and evaluated.  

Currently we have a General Budget Report, A Casa de Nino’s Budget Report, and Bank reports.

A new line item “Travel ministry” is added to the budget report to cover expenses for Elma and her traveling to different Churches.

Building:  The boy’s unit has currently gone through the needed construction to get it to code and is working well.

An exciting new program through ANSPAC is being developed at the Boy’s unit.   The representatives of ANSPAC are going down in January to teach us how to make a garden to raise our own vegetables.  Since there is adequate space at the boys unit, a site has been selected.  Currently the soil is being worked and top soil is being brought in.  We look forward to the children taking part in this healthy activity.

Misc.:  We are in need of new chairs for the kindergarten class.  We’ve had them since 2001 and they are beginning to fall apart.

Elma will be visiting Pastor Bill Quinn in his church this next week.  She will also be visiting Atlanta on November 10^th to talk with a Pastor Debra and her church.

A group from Love Never Fails visited earlier this month.  They are planning a program to build homes for some of the families of children that live in Casa Hogar.  Today, these families in the colonias where their home is made of scrapes and the children are not capable of going to school or being cared for.  A wonderful ministry.

Marketing:

Christmas cards will be sent out again this year; Elma will bring to Celia’s home the entries.

Bracelets that the girls have made will be sent out to various stores and churches to sell.

A Memorial card will be added to the newsletter.

Fundraising Party at Celia’s will be November 20^th.

New Meeting date:  November 13^th at 10:30 at Elma’s House.