Coar Peace Mission

Grants to the Coar children's village in zaragaoza, el salvador, central america. These grants directly support approximately 40 children in residential foster care at the Coar children's village, administered by the roman catholic archdiocese of san salvador. The grants provide all the children's food, health care, shelter and utilities, transportation, school tuition and supplies, vocational training and supplies, recreation supplies, security and support staff including housemothers, psychologists, maintenance workers, accountants, child care experts and government compliance experts (with the child care laws of el salvador, lepina). Secondarily the grants subsidize the Coar school and clinic, which together serve an additional 1,000 children and their families.

Sponsorship programs (give a child a home (gch) and give a child a chance (gcc)). In order to connect to the children more personally, approximately 500 donors choose to sponsor a child. The two programs, gch and gcc, feature support for the residential program or school expenses, respectively. Donors receive a picture and letter from a Coar child every six months, or more frequently if they wish to correspond. Grant expense is included in 4a towards the support of all the operations of the Coar children's village and not to support a particular child.

Mission cooperative plan participation and education programs. The Mission cooperative plan coordinates invitations to missions of the catholic church to speak at parishes throughout north america, educating parishioners about their particular Mission, the missions of the church generally and relating the Mission to the day's mass readings. Coar Peace Mission receives approximately 30-60 assignments each year and is frequently asked to expand the weekend invitation to a week-long or on-going educational relationship with parish groups and schools. Educational materials are found in our newsletter, website, social media sites and other material produced to meet the needs of teachers and parishes.

Student and group Mission trips to the Coar children's village. Coar Peace Mission organizes visits (usually 7-10 days) to the Coar children's village for groups, usually schools and churches (2-5 groups/year, 10-20 people/group). Visitors give service by teaching english and playing with resident children. Visitors also learn about the history of el salvador, the current challenges faced by the country and the Coar children, the role of the catholic church and Coar's daily operations that protect and heal vulnerable children.