A Safe Place.
A Stronger Community
Supporting families and communities with essential resources, safe shelter, and practical solutions when they are needed most.
Supporting Families Where It's Needed Most
Friends of Guatemala responds to practical needs that affect the health, safety, and well-being of children, families, and communities across Guatemala.
Our community support has included temporary shelters, food assistance, clean-water initiatives, building improvements, infrastructure projects, emergency relief, and other community-based needs.
The goal isn't simply to provide short-term assistance. It is to help communities access the resources and support they need to move forward.
HOW WE SUPPORT COMMUNITIES
Temporary Shelters
We support temporary shelters, or albergues, that provide families with a safe place to stay while traveling to receive medical treatment. Some shelter projects include Albergue San Rafael in Escuintla and Albergue San Lucas Tolimán
Food Drives and Basic Support
Food assistance helps families experiencing hardship meet basic needs. We have provided food baskets containg staples such as beans, rice, Incaparina, pasta, oatmeal, corn flour, oil, coffee, and sugar. This also includes a COVID-19 food drive in Santa Cruz, Baja Verapaz
Clean Water & Healthy Communities
Friends of Guatemala has supported access to clean water, including a 2023 mission that distributed water filters to multiple families. The old site also connects clean-water access with the San Lucas Tolimán medical mission.
Roads, Bridges & Access
When roads, bridges, or other infrastructure create barriers to essential services, community support can help restore access, as seen with the Puente Río Cenizas in Siquinalá, Escuintla, where a village had become isolated after mudslides and access to a nearby hospital was restored.
Emergency & Community Response
When unexpected crises affect families and communities, Friends of Guatemala works with volunteers and partners to provide support where it is needed. following the Volcán de Fuego eruption, volunteers helped people who lost relatives and homes and supported a shelter in Escuintla
Building & Facility Improvements
From shelter repairs to facility improvements, we help create safer and more functional spaces. This includes structural repairs at ALbergue San Rafael, improvements to Hogar Fray Bartolomé de las Casas, and construction/expansion of shelter facilities.
A SAFE PLACE.
A WARM MEAL.
A HELPING HAND
Families traveling for medical treatment may face difficult choices about where to stay, how to access food, and how to meet basic needs while away from home. Friends of Guatemala supports temporary shelters and other community resources that provide practical assistance during these challenging times.
A Place to Stay When It Matters Most
The shelter received structural repairs in 2017 and reopened to families seeking medical treatment at the nearby public hospital. On its first day after reopening, 21 people were able to stay there while waiting for medical treatment.
“Thank you so much for the improvements to the shelter ‘Albergue San Rafael’ near the hospital in Escuintla, Guatemala. The first day after reopening 21 persons had a place to stay while waiting for medical treatment.”
COMMUNITY SUPPORT IN ACTION
YOUR SUPPORT HELPS MAKE THIS WORK POSSIBLE
Your support can help provide:
Food
Basic assistance for families experiencing hardship.
Shelter
Safe places for families seeking medical care.
Clean Water
Resources such as water filters for families and communities.
Safe Spaces
Repairs and improvements to shelters and community facilities.
Access
Infrastructure projects that help connect communities with essential services.
Emergency Support
Resources for communities facing unexpected hardship.