Newsletters 2024
A SEASON OF CHANGE AT HEARTS & HANDS
January 20, 2024
Where did 2023 go? In many ways it seemed like a long year, but in other ways it seems to have flown by. In any case, I can look back with gratitude and optimism as we plunge into 2024.
On January 25, Hearts & Hands will be 18 years in existence. When I had a dream in 2004 to go to Guatemala to make a difference, I did not foresee the impact that could be made. Nor did I foresee the numbers of volunteers and people who would join me. They shared my dream using their skills, experiences, and desires to make a difference to create H&H and its programs.
I thank John and Ann Thorburn, John and Mary Cranston, Jim and Cathy Ridley, and Joan Lawton who were instrumental in my very first groups of volunteers from Ralph Connor Memorial United Church in Canmore. They believed in me and in the creation of the official charity of H&H. All of them accompanied me to Guatemala several times. Their support ensured the impact we have had in our programs. Many other volunteers who have gone several times, donated their time and money, and helped at our fundraisers, have contributed greatly to our success. Without all of you, our story would be different.
Gratitude must be also given to all the Board members who have served over 18 years. Many members have held executive positions as president, vice president, secretary, or treasurer. They have played vital roles in keeping H&H functioning and developing the organization. Many served for many years, such as Doug Jones and Bill Way. To both of you, I am eternally grateful for your support, dedication, and belief in what we do.
H&H has had success for 18 years and the impact is wonderful and assuring. However, in life nothing lasts forever and change comes. As an organization, H&H is not any different. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, many things have changed. Fundraising has become much more difficult in terms of holding public events. The attendees have become fewer, volunteers are fewer, and the profit raised is often less than the cost of the event. That has been the case in our last two events. According to CRA, this is the case for all small charities like H&H.
Therefore, we are in a process of change. We are re-branding our volunteer trips and enhancing the voluntourism with more cultural experiences. These will be announced in the new media package in the near future. Thank goodness for all the people working with me who are as excited about the changes as I am. Our educational programs such as scholarships, literacy, and math as well as stoves, dental clinics, eye clinics, and solar lights will remain the same.
In closing, I personally want to thank everyone who has supported H&H and especially me for these 18 years. You have stuck with us and helped us succeed in making a huge difference in Guatemala. We have weathered difficult times and also experienced great successes. Our blessing has been that the difficult times have been minimal compared to the great times.
I have been lucky to have a family that has supported me in doing this work that I love so much. I believe that this work was an answer to prayers 18 years ago. I recently repeated those prayers while questioning the future of my involvement in the organization due to having my 82nd birthday. Once again, I believe the answer was to continue the work. So, we will look ahead in a new and different way with excitement and determination.
I sincerely hope many of you will continue with H&H as we move into the future. My next newsletter will share the new changes as we undertake them.
All the best to everyone,
Jan Townsend, Executive Director/Founder
The Hearts & Hands Foundation
Newsletters 2023
UPCOMING FUNDRAISERS & GOOD NEWS
September 9, 2023
How quickly time has passed since my last newsletter! I have said this before, and it still remains true, that the older I get, the faster time goes. Time also passes quickly when one is a busy person. I do apologize for the lag since my last newsletter.
UPCOMING FUNDRAISERS
September 30, 2023: AN EVENING WITH INSPIRING WOMEN
An evening of dinner followed by talks by inspiring women. The theme is how these women overcame difficulties and/or traumas and still found a productive life. For men and women.
Where: Canmore Golf and Curling Club
Time: Drinks 5:30 pm, Dinner 6:00, Talks 7:00
Cost: $40
Tickets: Call 403-512-4186 or purchase through Eventbrite HERE
November 4, 2023: A 60s DANCE with music by SusieQ
An evening of 60s music and dancing. Hearts & Hands is partnering with Jon Frolick and his wife Suzie to provide nostalgic fun from those great days of tie-dyed clothes, the Twist, the Beatles, and bouffant hairdos. Oh, the good ole days!
Where: Creekside Hall, Canmore
Time: 7:00-11:00 pm
Cost: $40
Call 403-512-4186 for tickets
OCTOBER STOVE TRIP
We will head to Guatemala with a group of 12 volunteers from October 4 - 17. The primary focus will be the construction of stoves and the installation of solar lights in homes without electricity.
We will continue to work in the municipality of San Andres Sajcabaja as our favorite mayor was re-elected. He is requesting the construction of some playgrounds for his schools and in the center of town. I will visit the schools and assess if we can raise the money.
In the recent elections in Guatemala, a ray of hope for the country occurred. The newly-elected President Arevalo is the son of a former president from the late 40s and early 50s who instituted social programs that helped the poor people. He was also one of the only non-corrupt presidents. His son wants to fight corruption and follow in his father's footsteps. He has lots of opposition, so we pray for his success.
MARCH TRIP
Our March trip will be from March 6 - 19, 2024. We hope to have a group of 12 to build stoves and install solar lights. Please contact me if you are interested.
DIRECT ENERGY VOLUNTEER CITIZEN OF THE YEAR
I am feeling extremely honored and grateful as I was selected to be Volunteer Citizen of the Year by Direct Energy. The wonderful thing about it is the award of $5000 for Hearts & Hands. It will help our coffers as we are still trying to recover from the period of inactivity during COVID-19. I am so grateful to the person who nominated me. I do not know who it is, but I am very flattered and humbled. I am excited to receive the award at a ceremony at the Chateau Lacombe in Edmonton on September 22. Thank you, mystery person.
I guess that is all for now. I again want to thank everyone for your emails and messages about my son. It is a difficult time for sure, but the caring and support means so much. I am thankful for my Hearts & Hands Canadian family and my Guatemalan family who make life still worth living. I will keep moving forward as the award was a message from God to keep on trucking.
All the best,
Jan Townsend
Founder, Hearts & Hands Foundation
Newsletters 2022
LOOKING BACK AT A BETTER YEAR
December 21, 2022
Where did 2022 go? Looking back, it was a definite improvement from 2021. Despite Covid not totally disappearing, life struggled to return to some kind of "new normal." Different illnesses appeared to make us just as sick. One cannot help but wonder what 2023 will bring us.
Despite viruses and influenzas, Hearts & Hands had a better year. In November, I was able to lead a stove group to Guatemala after three years of absence. I cannot really describe my emotions when that plane touched down on Guatemalan soil again. It felt similar to my first touchdown in 2003. However, the difference was in 2003 I had no idea what I would be able to accomplish. This time I knew what we have accomplished in 18 years and was anxious to get busy to accomplish more.
We were fortunate to be able to maintain our programs during those three years thanks to Rebeca Galindo’s and Bety Curruchich’s dedication and determination to keep H&H functioning. As well, the financial support of so many alumnae kept us alive. It is a slow recovery process and we are on the right path.
We continue to be very proud of our scholarship program. The number of students decreased during Covid due to financial constraints. We are now trying to get back to the number of students we had prior to Covid. We spent time with the students this current trip. They did a great program for the volunteers. It was wonderful to see the maturity and confidence they had in themselves. We saw the highest grades in many students more than any year since we began the program in 2008. We are succeeding in producing the future leaders of Guatemala.
I am very happy with our success in our special program in math for the scholarship students. Prior to this critical thinking course, most of the students were failing math. Now thanks to the two teachers we hired, the students are getting good grades. We want to continue the course this year if we can raise the funds to do so. The funds needed are to cover the costs of the math teacher and the materials.
We had a pleasant surprise regarding our Escuela Ideal literacy program. If you recall this is the program where we published a reading book in Kakchiquel Mayan language for first grade students. We were requested by the Education Office of Solala' of the Ministry of Education to partner with them to provide our program to the first grades of Solala’. Apparently, the students of our Escuela Program scored much higher in reading than students in public schools.
The program will begin in February 2023.
Looking ahead to 2023, H&H hopes to be busy with stove trips in March and October. The trips will include stoves and a dental and eye clinic. Please contact me if you are interested. We are excited about our possible advancement of Escuela Ideal and math programs. Programs in education are our primary goal.
I want to sincerely thank everyone who has made the journey with me since I began the walk almost 20 years ago. H&H was a dream that grew and accomplished more than I ever imagined possible. After being absent for three years, upon my return last month I was able to see the impact we have made. I have enjoyed every minute of it and am so blessed to have had all of your support and caring. You are a vital part of H&H and share in our success. Bless all of you and wishing you a MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.
All the best,
Jan Townsend
Founder, Hearts & Hands Foundation
BACK ON GUATEMALAN SOIL AFTER THREE YEARS
September 8, 2022
Summer is slowly fading and I ask myself every day: Where is time going? I never believed the older folks who used to say, “The older you get, the faster time goes.” Now that I am one of those older folks, I understand what they meant. In any case, it will not be long before the leaves change colour, the snow flies, and I head off to Guatemala with a group of volunteers to build stoves, hold an eye clinic, and take solar lights to be installed in homes without electricity.
It has been three years since my feet stepped on Guatemalan soil. So much was unknown when the pandemic began. It was such a scary time of sickness and death, isolation, job loss, and life as we had not known it in many years—at least not in my lifetime. I had major concerns about how I could keep Hearts & Hands alive, our programs going, and pay the Guatemalan staff while my own health was uncertain.
Looking back now I can say both have survived. In Guatemala, I give thanks to Rebeca Galindo and Bety Curruchich who kept everything functioning even with all the limitations. With the mayor of San Andres Sajcabaja, they were able to run the Food Relief Project. Through donations from the Rotary Club of Calgary West, the Lions Club of Canmore, and an elementary school in Kelowna, BC, we were able to provide food for one month to 434 families in seven communities. As well, the construction of classrooms in Chiminisiguan was finally completed which was a great accomplishment in itself. The staff managed to keep the scholarship program alive through Zoom and even managed to add a new math program for the students.
I look forward to the future with optimism and faith. I am grateful for the support I received for H&H and for myself personally. We do have a bit of a hill to climb. This mission I was given has always been one step forward and two back. This time it is not any different. The Board of Directors, the Friends of H&H and myself are busy working to eliminate the deficit we have from the pandemic. We have to make up some costs from the trip we had to cancel as well as raise funds for future administrative costs. It is not easy in the current economic uncertainty, but we are striving to continue to assist the Mayan families who need our hand-up.
On November 4, we will have a fun fashion show fundraiser at Creekside Hall at 7:00pm in Canmore. Tickets will go on sale in the next few weeks. We are hoping for a sell-out. Watch for more information in a future newsletter.
In some ways to me it feels like my very first trip to Guatemala. This month we will celebrate the anniversary of the first volunteer trip in 2004. We have had 18 years of working in Guatemala in many areas and communities; experiencing many successes and meeting the most gracious, grateful individuals and families. I can positively say that H&H’s success is thanks to the many people receiving this newsletter who have gone on trip/s, helped at fundraisers, donated, and/or just believed in H&H and me.
Please help us to continue our work. H&H will be eternally grateful.
Jan Townsend, Executive Director/Founder
403-512-4186
theheartsandhandsfoundation@gmail.com
NOVEMBER TRIP IN THE WORKS
August 2, 2022
I hope everyone is enjoying the summer and keeping well. For Hearts & Hands our work continues as we try to recover from the two years of limited activity. Our programs in Guatemala survived the epidemic thanks to Rebeca Galindo and Bety Curruchich. They managed to keep everything functioning despite all the shutdowns and limitations. I am forever grateful to them for managing all in my absence. I look so forward to stepping on Guatemalan soil again after 2.5 years.
November 9-22, 2022 Volunteer Trip
Our first volunteer trip since March 2020 will be November 9 to 22, 2022. We are continuing to work in the municipality of San Andres Sajcabaja where we have worked for a number of years. We have partnered with a new mayor since COVID began. He has been our partner in the Food Relief Project. Together we will be doing three projects: stoves, dental clinic, and eye clinic. Plans are underway to hold our thirteenth dental clinic. Again, we will partner with the Lions Club of Canmore and Santa Cruz del Quiche’ to hold a second eye clinic providing glasses to the families. We will also install stoves in a yet-to-be-named community. Because of limited accommodation in San Andres the number of available volunteer spots is also limited. If anyone is interested in joining the team, please contact me for further information.
Fashion Show
We will hold a fundraiser on November 4, 2022 at Creekside Hall, Canmore at 7:00pm. The evening will be a fashion show with fashions provided by local shops and boutiques. More information will be forthcoming.
Annual General Meeting of H&H
The Hearts & Hands Foundation will hold its Annual General Meeting on August 8, 7:00pm on Zoom. Please contact me if you require further information or would like to participate.
I will send out another newsletter in the next few weeks to update everyone on our programs and plans for the future. Keep well and sending greetings to everyone.
Cheers,
Jan Townsend
Founder, Hearts and Hands Foundation
MOVING AHEAD WITH CAUTION
March 23, 2022
At long last we seem to be at a new normal which is yet to be defined. In any case—with lots of caution—Hearts & Hands is moving ahead with two stove trips planned for the fall of 2022 and three trips in 2023.
We can only hope the pandemic is slowly decreasing both in Canada and Guatemala. It was a long two years of isolation and changes that will possibly remain with us. I am old enough to remember the years of the polio scare. I was very young then, but I can recall my neighborhood friends discussing the iron lungs and how afraid we were of getting polio. I recall my Mom telling me not to get wet or tire myself. I was ordered to sit in the shade and be calm. Polio was the monster just waiting to strike!
I cannot say I felt that way about COVID-19, maybe because I am considerably older and have so much more life experience. I am fortunate that my office is in my home, so I did not have to venture out daily. The most I had to cope with was the loneliness and isolation. Much of the time I was recuperating from emergency back surgery that was slow to heal. Then last October I hurt my back again. Since then, my activity has been very limited as I await surgery.
So, all in all, I had lots of alone time to contemplate, ruminate, assess, review, and plan not only my own life, but the future of H&H. I can honestly say that I learned to use the time to my advantage both personally and administratively. Would I want to go through another two-year pandemic? Absolutely not! I thank God that my family and I stayed healthy. We were blessed.
CONCERT FUNDRAISER - APRIL 9
The West of Mabou concert has been rescheduled for April 9 at Creekside Hall in Canmore. The event takes place from 7pm to 10pm; doors open at 6:30pm. Tickets are on sale for $35 ($40 at the door) and can be purchased through Eventbrite or by contacting me at janettownsend47@gmail.com or (403) 512-4186. Proceeds will help Hearts & Hands continue with its programs in Guatemala. Hope to see some of you there.
STOVE TRIPS
October 4 - 18, 2022
November 9 - 22, 2022
February 7 - 21, 2023
March 14 - 28, 2023
October 10 - 24, 2023
Teams will be limited to 11 people. To reserve a spot contact me at janettownsend47@gmail.com or (403) 512-4186. It will be wonderful to be able to provide work again for the temporary Guatemala staff. The people of Guatemala suffered badly during the pandemic. The fathers were unable to work and earn any income. The families lacked food and other necessities. Our Food Relief Project was so important and we hope to do another one soon. At least some of our staff were vaccinated and escaped COVID-19.
I sincerely hope all of you have escaped COVID. Here is hoping we all have a better 2022.
Cheers,
Jan Townsend
Executive Director
LOOKING BACK AT 2021 WITH THANKS
January 1, 2022
On a recent cold afternoon of frosty temperatures, I decided to think back over 2021 and review our year of working during COVID-19. I wish I could say it was an easy year, but I cannot. However, with all the COVID restrictions in place, we still managed to deliver all of our programs safely without any staff getting ill. For that I am extremely grateful.
Scholarship Program: Despite COVID and classes being mainly virtual, we were able to graduate 11 students from both high school and university. Most of the students on all levels maintained excellent grade scores. We had only one student drop out due to grade failure. We will happily have 11 new students each with a sponsor starting in January 2022. How satisfying it is to know we are creating new leaders through this program. I am thankful for all the sponsors who stay with us each year. Your support to a student is so valuable and makes a huge difference in their lives as well as their families. Most of these kids are the first to complete more than the sixth grade in their family.
Escuela Ideal: Our literacy program in Solala’ was undertaken to address the dropout rate of first-grade students unable to learn the required reading and writing in Spanish. H&H published materials in the Mayan language of Kaqchikel that included a bilingual textbook, phonetic chart, and work sheets. Through workshops led by a linguistic expert and H&H staff, the program ran for two years. The result was a decrease in the failure and dropout rate of students in the first grade.
Two specific problems became obvious to us:
1. Not many teachers spoke Kaqchikel and were not interested in working in that language
2. The discrimination of Hispanic teachers towards Indigenous children speaking only Kaqchikel was high and difficult to overcome.
A positive outcome we did not anticipate was a real delight and made up somewhat for the two problems. Each student participating in the program was given the package of materials to keep and take home. Many of their parents were not able to read or write. An unexpected result was some parents used the materials to learn to read and write in their Kaqchikel language along with their children; something we did not foresee but were pleasantly surprised by.
Classroom Construction: We were able to complete the classrooms, kitchen, bodega, and playground in Chiminisiguan and Chilil II that were begun in 2020. Both are in the municipality of San Andres Sajcabaja where we have worked for the last four years.
Food Relief Program: In early 2021 the mayor of San Andres Sajcabaja asked for some assistance for families that needed food. Families were without income due to fathers being unable to travel to pick coffee or cut sugar cane due to quarantine regulations. The families did not have any money to buy food even if it was available. H&H began raising funds to buy food to distribute. The staff developed a list of necessary staple foods and then negotiated with supermarkets to get the best prices on these staple food items. With each $4500 raised we bought the staple food for as many families as possible. It was a partnership with the mayor, some of his staff, and H&H staff who together distributed the food. A fourth partner was the Lion’s Club of Santa Cruz del Quiche’ who joined us to bag and distribute the food. H&H had worked with them doing an eye clinic on our last stove trip.
That was 2021. This report is not complete without me thanking many people. To the Guatemalan staff, thank you for your relentless dedication to delivering our programs to the families. You have big hearts and hands.
Thanks to the Friends of Hearts & Hands Committee who made a huge difference to me as I recuperated from my back surgery and long hospitalization. They took on responsibilities in planning fundraisers, developing new ideas, sharing roles, and relieving my stress at times. These women are believers. Through their work, we were able to win third place in decorating a Christmas tree in the Canmore Rotary Festival of Trees in the Malcolm Hotel.
A special thanks to the H&H Board of Directors and their work in supporting me in the operation of H&H. They are also believers in what we do.
I must say so many words of thanks to my friend, Doug Jones, who serves as Treasurer. Doug went to Guatemala with me in 2006. We worked on a stove team together and he has shared the passion since that trip. I lean on him tremendously to keep me on track with our finances and budgets. I so much appreciate his dedication.
Finally, and extremely important is YOU, the alumnae, my family and friends. All of you have been with me for 17 years. Through your moral support, financial donations, memories made with me, and by participating in the history of H&H, you have made a difference in Guatemala. I thank you so much for that.
My best wishes for a brighter 2022 with hopefully a return to a new normal and happier times. May your life be blessed with good health and good times.
Jan Townsend
Executive Director
Newsletters 2021
November 10, 2021
It is hard to believe that the year is quickly coming to an end and Christmas is only six weeks away. In some ways it is also hard to believe we have been in this pandemic for 21 months. Looking back, however, so much has happened that time seemed to stand still as we struggled through this difficult and scary period of our lives. At last, I believe we can see a tiny beacon of hope as we begin to settle into what will possibly be our “new normal.”
I am glad to say Guatemala has more vaccine than when I last wrote a newsletter. Our staff have been fully vaccinated which is a relief for us. They have managed to remain healthy and see the completion of our classroom construction and literacy programs, and manage the scholarship program while distributing food to needy families.
FOOD RELIEF FUND
In February a request came from the mayor of San Andres Sajcabaja for help for families whose fathers could not travel to cut sugar cane or pick coffee due to the pandemic. Without any income, the families were going without food. Thanks to many people and organizations, H&H managed to do three food distributions of staple foods that would last for a month for 424 families. It is anticipated that the fathers will be able to travel to work this fall, so we do not anticipate any more distributions.
WEST OF MABOU CONCERT
The West of Mabou concert will be rescheduled for Saturday, April 9. Once it is confirmed, we will let you know in another newsletter as well as on our website: heartshands.ca.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Hearts & Hands is in need of sponsors for our scholarship program. The school year starts in January and ends in October for junior/senior high and in November for university students. Sponsoring a student is one of the most rewarding things anyone can do. These students are the future of Guatemala. They are selected according to their academic ability, economic status, and score on the H&H entrance exam.
Tuition this year will be $700 for secondary school and $800 for university. H&H is very proud of this program that we began in 2008. We have had 858 students graduate from the program and begin careers in medicine, law, teaching, accounting, and agriculture to mention a few. Please consider helping us educate the future leaders of Guatemala. Contact me if you choose to sponsor a student. We will be most grateful. 403-512-4186, janettownsend47@gmail.com
STOVE TRIPS IN 2022
Likely there will be a trip in March and April 2022. The dates will be confirmed by December 1. Please let me know if you are interested in either trip. We will be installing stoves in San Andres Sajcabaja. All volunteers must have proof of double vaccination and it will require the wearing of masks. All volunteers must have travel medical insurance that covers COVID-19 and show proof of this insurance.
CALENDAR/GREETING CARDS
Hearts & Hands is selling 2022 calendars and greeting cards as a fundraiser. We give many, many thanks to Laurie Maitland, an H&H Board member, who designed the calendar using photos from stove trip volunteers including herself. A very special thank you also goes to my friends, John and Ann Thorburn, who supplied hundreds of photos and who accompanied me to Guatemala at least five times in our very early years. They were in my very first volunteer group in 2004. The memories of that first trip always bring a smile to my face, a few tears in my eyes, and a warmth in my heart that I will never forget. That trip was the beginning of a whole new life for me that I look back upon with wonder, gratitude, amazement, and satisfaction. I have so many memories to cherish as we finish our seventeenth year, and with optimism I look forward to making many more.
Many thanks to Cathy Hagan who designed the greeting cards. These ten cards also have volunteer photos on the front. Six cards have a Christmas greeting inside and four are blank.
The cost is $20 for either the cards or calendar or $35 for both. Please contact me to purchase one or both. Those ordered in Canmore will be delivered, elsewhere will be mailed. Please see a sample of each at the top of this email.
I hope this newsletter finds everyone in good health and looking forward to the upcoming holidays with your families. This time last year I was not so optimistic. With the pandemic in full force and my health in question, the future sure seemed bleak. However, I survived and H&H has also.
As my 80th birthday approaches this month, I feel as energetic and challenged as ever. This 21 months has been difficult without question, but it has been for most everyone. I thank my Board members for their support and efforts to keep H&H alive. Like many small charities it has been difficult, but we are still here determined to work with the Mayan families and retain our staff.
No one could have predicted the events of the last 21 months. Nor can we predict what comes ahead. All I know is what I can do today and that will be to continue to do what I began in 2004. I sincerely hope many of you will continue this journey with me as Hearts & Hands moves into the future.
Wishing you all a very merry, merry Christmas and a blessed New Year,
Jan Townsend
Executive Director
July 10, 2021
Here we are already in the month of July and finally feeling hopeful that the worst of the pandemic is behind us in North America. It has been a long 15 months and our new normal is being defined as we go forward. At long last people, including myself, are energized to be able to see family and friends once again as precautions loosen.
If we learned anything through this pandemic, hopefully it is gratitude and appreciation for living where we do. That was driven home to me as I kept hearing how difficult it has been and still is for our Mayan families in Guatemala. We are doing what we can to assist the families and are extremely grateful to everyone who has supported us with your donations. You have made a difference and I sincerely thank everyone.
COVID-19 IN GUATEMALA
Most of the communities in San Andres Sajcabaja are in red (Guatemala uses the traffic light colors to denote COVID status). Schools have been closed since last year. Students receive classes through email as homework. The vaccine has been very limited, but essential persons have received AstraZeneca. As well, citizens over 70 have received AstraZeneca and the next younger age group are now receiving the Russian vaccine Sputnik. How much is being distributed to the very rural areas where we work is unknown.
FOOD RELIEF PROJECT
With the Mayor of San Andres Sajcabaja and some of his staff, H&H (CyM) has distributed food to 125 families. This coming week more food will be distributed to two more communities. We have raised funds to do another set of communities once this next group is completed. We will continue this program as long as it is needed. I will be in Guatemala in October and will assess the situation then.
WEST OF MABOU CONCERT
In anticipation of the situation with COVID-19 being under control, we are planning a fundraising concert on September 25 with West of Mabou, the Irish band from Saskatchewan. Plans are still in the making as to venue, tickets, etc. Notice of such will follow soon.
WE NEED YOUR PHOTOS FROM GUATEMALA!
H&H is creating a calendar that will be for sale this fall. Our goal is to use photos that tell our story plus provide information about Guatemala and the Mayan families. We are asking anyone who would like to submit their favorite photo from their trip to please do so in the next week or two.
Please submit to
Laurie Maitland at: Im_freewheelin@hotmail.com
or Janet Townsend at: janettownsend47@gmail.com
Finally, I would like to thank all who sent get well wishes during my back surgery and then concussion. I am almost 100% again and anxious to get to Guatemala and back to work. Take care till next time and keep cool this summer.
All the best,
Jan Townsend
Founder, Hearts & Hands Foundation
March 24, 2021
It has been a long year and the pandemic has changed the world in which we live. Predictions of when we will return to a “new normal” are uncertain at best. The situation in Guatemala is particularly challenging. The demand for more services from charities like Hearts & Hands has ballooned.
We have managed to sustain our programs and pay our staff while at the same time trying to meet the needs of many families in San Andres Sajcabaja and Solala’. The schools are closed and currently the communities are full of COVID-19 with little hope of a vaccine any time soon. The only answer for the Mayan people is through vaccine donations from developed countries.
Hearts & Hands marked its seventeenth year in Guatemala on January 25, 2021. When I started on this path in 2002, I never envisioned the impact that Hearts & Hands would have in Guatemala. Without a doubt, those of you who have walked with me and shared my passion for the Mayan families have been vital to our existence.
This past year, Hearts & Hands has been able to provide additional help to some communities by providing masks, food, and thermometers to the Uspantan Fire department. The need is great as some families have no income because they have lost their crops due to too much rain and are quarantined in their homes. Online classes are great when possible, but only 11% of the families have the Internet. We have provided wi-fi to some of our scholarship students so they can stay current with their studies. Especially in San Andres Sajcabaja, the families live in very rural areas and are isolated and without food.
The dedication and work effort of our Corazones e Manos staff is outstanding. They are heroes. But our ability to fundraise has been limited and we are struggling to meet our operating costs. We ask for your support to continue our work with the Mayan people of Guatemala. Please consider a donation today to The Hearts and Hands Foundation. Go to our website – heartshands.ca – to find out how you can support us in this time of great need.
Wishing everyone good health,
Jan Townsend, Executive Director and Founder
Hearts & Hands Foundation