AIM Peñasco has a new name, a new U.S. partner and a new home!

A NEW NAME: When my husband and I formed a Mexican non-profit organization in 2015, we were given the name Asistencia Integral para Menores de Puerto Peñasco (“Comprehensive support for youth in Rocky Point”). Because this name is so long, we soon began referring to the organization as AIM Peñasco. Our intention in forming the organization was always to try to improve the lives of young people living in poverty in the community. Although in the beginning we weren’t exactly sure what that would look like, by June of 2016 we had decided our focus would be on providing young people with a path out of poverty through education. Since then, we have gone from supporting 72 students to more than 800 students and the work of AIM Peñasco has evolved and expanded tremendously. However, one thing that has remained consistent from day one has been our focus on education. So, this past year my local team wanted a new name that better reflects the work they do in the community. They chose Educarte which in English means “educate yourself”. I think it is a perfect name because that is exactly what my local team helps people throughout the community do.

A NEW PARTNER: Along with a new name has come a new, much stronger U.S. partner for  Educarte. Since 2016 the work being done by the local team has been supported primarily by Steps of Love, an Arizona based non-profit. Although Steps of Love was a wonderful partner for almost six years, as a small, volunteer run organization it was struggling to keep up with the growth and expansion of the program in Mexico.  Fortunately, at just the right time, Steps of Love was invited to merge with another AZ based non-profit called Esperanca. As an organization that supports non-profit partners in five countries around the world and has more than 50 years of experience in international program development, it was quite an honor for Educarte to have been chosen as Espernaca’s sixth international partner.  Their team has extensive experience and expertise in supporting efforts to improve health and provide hope through disease prevention, education and treatment in the communituies they serve. I am so excited that this partnership will not only benefit my team and the students we serve, but the entire community of Puerto Peñasco.

A NEW HOME!

A very generous local family has allowed us to use their home in the center of town for offices since we started this program. As the program has grown, however, we have had to find additional space for offices, homework club classrooms, storage, a special needs program and more. My team and the programs they operate have literally been scattered throughout the community.

For the past several years I have dreamed of one day having our own, permanent “home”. I imagined a place where my local team, the programs they operate and the students they serve would be able to grow and thrive – even long after I am gone. I am very excited to share that, thanks to my very generous and supportive husband and sons, this dream has come true! At the end of 2021 my family purchased a wonderful property to serve as a permanent “home” for Educarte’s current and future programs and, as of January, we are all moved in! The property is at 281 Blvd. Fremont and we look forward to having many of you come visit us and see all the great opportunities now being provided for local youth there.

For more information or to support our efforts go to www.esperanca.org/Mexico

Educarte’s beautiful new home!