San Pedro Sula Dream Center Inc

THE ORGANIZATION BEGAN THE YEAR WITH MUCH ENTHUSIASM, FOCUSING ON EFFORTS TO HELP THOSE AFFECTED BY THE DEVASTATING HURRICANES AT THE END OF LAST YEAR AND PLACING A MAJOR EMPHASIS ON THE ORGANIZATION'S FEEDING PROGRAM. OVERALL, 2021 WAS AN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL YEAR FOR THE SAN PEDRO SULA DREAM CENTER, COMPLETING TWO PARCIAL HOME PROJECTS AND TWO COMPLETE HOMES FOR FAMILIES THROUGH THE WELCOME HOME PROJECT. OVER THE COURSE OF THE ENTIRE YEAR, THEY SERVED AN ESTIMATED 35,000 PLATES OF FOOD THROUGH THE FEEDING PROGRAM. 1056 FULL BAGS OF GROCERIES WERE GIVEN TO THE ELDERLY AND WIDOWS. TWO MISSION TEAMS WERE HOSTED. APPROXIMATELY 40 LOCAL HONDURAN MEN AND WOMEN VOLUNTEERED IN DIFFERENT ASPECTS AT THE CENTER. CLOSE TO 180 STUDENTS WERE INVOLVED IN THE CLASSES (MUSIC, ENGLISH, LEADERSHIP AND DISCIPLESHIP) THAT ORGANIZATION WAS ABLE TO OFFER THIS YEAR, ALBEIT WITH COVID RESTRICTIONS SUCH AS SOCIAL DISTANCING AND MASK USAGE. MANY MORE ACTIVITIES WERE PLANNED AND EXECUTED BY THE ORGANIZATION SUCH AS: A MEDICAL BRIGADE FOR 300 PEOPLE, MANY GROCERY GIVEAWAYS, A FIELD TRIP FOR LEADERSHIP STUDENTS, CELEBRATIONS FOR KID'S DAY AND CHRISTMAS, AN EVANGELISTIC YOUTH CONFERENCE AND SO MUCH MORE FAMILIES WERE GIVEN MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, HELP WITH BILLS, SCHOLARSHIPS FOR SCHOOL, SCHOOL SUPPLIES THROUGH THE BENEVOLENCE PROGRAM. IN THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF THE YEAR, THE DREAM CENTER VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF WORKED WITH EACH FAMILY IN THEIR PROGRAM TO GUARANTEE THE CONTINUATION OF EACH CHILD'S EDUCATION, ASKING EACH STUDENT GUARDIAN TO TURN IN PROOF OF SCHOOL ENROLLMENT. THE ORGANIZATION'S STAFF ASSISTED THOSE STUDENTS WHO WERE UNABLE TO REGISTER WITH PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS AND MORE. THIS PROVED AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TASK WITH PUBLIC SCHOOLS PRACTICALLY CLOSED TO ANY IN-PERSON MEETINGS. THEY EXECUTED A GIVE AWAY PROGRAM WITH BACKPACKS AND ALL THE NECESSARY SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR A GROUP OF 40 STUDENTS. CONTINUING WITH LAST YEAR'S SUCCESS DURING THE PANDEMIC, THEY PROVIDED ON LOCATION SUPPORT WITH HOMEWORK, TUTORING, INTERNET ACCESS, PRINTING, AND ANY NEEDED SUPPLIES FOR ON-LINE STUDENTS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO COMPLETED THE TWO PARTIAL HOME PROJECTS, REPAIRING AND ADDING-ON TO TWO HOMES THAT WERE FLOODED IN THE HURRICANE SEASON. IN MARCH THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUED WITH THE WELCOME HOME PROJECT'S, BUT INSTEAD OF REPAIRING OR ADDING-ON, THEY STARTED THE CONSTRUCTION OF A HOME FOR A FAMILY THAT SUFFERED FROM LOSS IN THE HURRICANE. THEY STARTED PROVIDING WEEKLY GROCERIES AND FELLOWSHIP TIME FOR A GROUP OF 25-35 ELDERLY WOMEN AND WIDOWS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO WORKED WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO HOST A MEDICAL BRIGADE THAT SERVED OVER 300 PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY FREE OF CHARGE WITH DOCTOR'S CONSULTATION, FREE MEDICINE AND VACCINES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS. PARTNERING WITH A LOCAL ORGANIZATION, THEY GAVE OUT OVER 100 TOYS TO CHILDREN IN AN ADDITIONAL FLOOD-AFFECTED COMMUNITY. IN APRIL AND MAY, THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUED WITH ITS FEEDING PROGRAM, BEGAN ENGLISH AND MUSIC CLASSES ON-SITE WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING AND MASKS. THEY CELEBRATED A GROUP OF WOMEN INCLUDING SINGLE MOMS AND OTHER VALUABLE VOLUNTEERS WITH A SPECIAL LUNCH FOR MOTHER'S DAY. THEY ALSO RECEIVED THEIR FIRST MISSION TEAM SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC. THIS TEAM VOLUNTEERED WITH THE FEEDING PROGRAM, HELD SPECIAL CHAPEL SERVICES FOR CHILDREN, HELPED WITH HOUSE VISITS AND GROCERY DELIVERIES AMONG MANY OTHER ACTIVITIES. THEY FINISHED THEIR WEEK TRIP WITH AN INCREDIBLE OUTDOOR YOUTH CONFERENCE FOR TEENAGERS THE SUMMER MONTHS OF JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST WERE FILLED WITH THE COMPLETION OF THE 1ST COMPLETE HOUSE BUILD AND THE BEGINNING OF THE 2ND ONE, MULTIPLE GROCERY GIVE-AWAYS ASSISTED BY LOCAL GENERAL DONATIONS OF FOOD. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO RECEIVED ITS 2ND MISSION TEAM OF THE SEASON. SADLY, THE SECOND MISSION TRIP ENDED WITH MOST OF THE STAFF, VOLUNTEER AND TRANSLATING TEAM CONTRACTING COVID AND THUS FORCING THE ORGANIZATION TO CLOSE TEMPORARILY. DURING THE FEW WEEKS THAT IT WAS CLOSED TO IN-PERSON ACTIVITIES, FAMILIES COULD STILL PICK UP BAGS OF FREE RICE AND BEANS FROM THE DREAM CENTER IF THEY NEEDED THEM. EVENTUALLY, THE CENTER WAS REOPENED TO THE PUBLIC AND DAILY TO-GO MEALS WERE ONCE AGAIN SERVED TO APPROXIMATELY 200 PEOPLE PER DAY. IN THE FALL, THE ORGANIZATION WAS SO EXCITED TO CELEBRATE A HUGE DAY IN HONDURAS CALLED KID'S DAY. THEY WERE ABLE TO GIVE TOYS, FOOD, CUPCAKES AND MORE TO OVER 250 CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITY IN A COMMUNITY WHERE POVERTY PREVENTS MOST FAMILIES FROM EVEN HAVING A CAKE ON A BIRTHDAY, THIS BROUGHT A MUCH NEEDED BOOST OF HOPE AND HAPPINESS. THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUED ALL ITS NORMAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS CHAPEL, CLASSES, TUTORING, GROCERY HELP, AND EVEN STARTED A LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. IN NOVEMBER, THE ORGANIZATION WORKED HARD TO ORGANIZE A HUGE GROCERY GIVEAWAY. THIS FOOD GIVEAWAY WAS FOR THANKSGIVING, BUT ALSO IN PREPAREDNESS FOR ANY POTENTIAL RIOTING DUE TO GENERAL PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS HELD THAT SAME WEEKEND. IN YEARS PAST, POST-ELECTION RIOTING HAS CAUSED LOCK-DOWNS AND CURFEWS, LEAVING THOSE THAT THE ORGANIZATION WORKS WITH AT EXTREME RISK FOR FOOD INSECURITY AND HUNGER. ULTIMATELY, NO RIOTING OCCURRED, BUT THE EXTRA GROCERIES PROVED TO BE QUITE APPRECIATED BY THE FAMILIES. THE SECOND HOUSE WAS FINISHED AND KEYS WERE GIVEN TO THE FAMILY ALONG WITH OTHER LOCAL DONATIONS TO FILL THEIR NEW HOME. THE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM MADE UP OF 30 STUDENTS HAD A FIELD TRIP TO A LOCAL CALL CENTER WHERE THEY WERE GIVEN A TOUR AND MET WITH ASSOCIATES WHO ACCENTUATED THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING ONE'S EDUCATION. 2021 WAS CONCLUDED WITH A BEAUTIFUL CONCERT BY THE CHOIR, FLUTE, VIOLIN, CELLO, AND VIOLONCELLO STUDENTS FOR PARENTS AND GUESTS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO HOSTED AWARDS CEREMONIES FOR ALL CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN THE CLASSES OFFERED AT THE CENTER AND A VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION BREAKFAST FOR THOSE WHO VOLUNTEERED IN THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN AND ULTIMATELY, FINISHED THE YEAR OFF WITH A CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION FOR CHILDREN IN NEED. IN SUMMARY, 2021 WAS AN ACCOMPLISHED YEAR FOR THE ORGANIZATION. THE SAN PEDRO SULA DREAM CENTER GREW IN ITS REACH TO THE COMMUNITY, IN VOLUNTEERISM, AND IN PERSONAL IMPACT IN THE LIVES OF THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IT SERVES.