Change a Life, Build A Miracle
Tax deductible
Our club would like to share a cause that is deeply meaningful to us and continues to make a tangible impact on countless lives. We hope you will consider supporting the John Burroughs High School Build a Miracle Club as we continue our campaign to raise $15,000 to build and furnish a home for a family in great need in Tijuana.
I have been working with the Build A Miracle Foundation for over four years now and their work has changed both my life and the lives of all of the students and Burbank residents with whom I have shared my experiences and opportunities to make a difference. BAM has worked for over twenty years to transform the community of El Florido, a slum just outside of Tijuana, Mexico, by constructing houses and reinforcing community bonds.
The cool thing about BAM is that it doesn’t just build houses, it builds futures. Recipients of BAM homes must put in 500 hours working on others' homes before they work on their own, and must commit to getting their children through high school (a feat rarely accomplished before BAM came to El Florido due to cost and lack of support systems). The parents have the opportunity for continuing education at the BAM community centers and the opportunity for micro-loans to help start businesses. BAM also has donors who sponsor college scholarships for any student who wants to continue their education. We were there for the graduation ceremony four years ago when the first BAM scholarship recipient received her Master’s Degree in Psychology, and recently saw her working with kids in the community center clinic on our trip down in October.
Now, we are ready to take the next step and biggest step so far: raising enough money to BUILD (from the foundation we will mix to the walls we will hammer and paint) and furnish a house in the name of the JBHS High Build A Miracle Club. These houses are not fancy. They cost just $25 per square foot at an average of $12,000 for a three-bedroom home. But the floors are concrete, not dirt. They have solid roofs that won’t leak. They have indoor plumbing and the family will no longer have to walk outside to use the bathroom. They have a small kitchen, rather than the oil drums with metal grates we’ve seen some families use. Parents have their own bedrooms with doors for the first time, when in their original homes families of five might share one mattress. We can build and furnish a whole house and change the trajectory of lives for only $15,000! We have already raised about $5,000 towards this goal and are excited to see how much more we can raise with your help!
With your donations, a family in this slum will have a new home and new hope for the future, life-altering gifts not only for them, but for the JBHS students who will be building these homes, practicing their Spanish and opening their hearts.
I have been working with the Build A Miracle Foundation for over four years now and their work has changed both my life and the lives of all of the students and Burbank residents with whom I have shared my experiences and opportunities to make a difference. BAM has worked for over twenty years to transform the community of El Florido, a slum just outside of Tijuana, Mexico, by constructing houses and reinforcing community bonds.
The cool thing about BAM is that it doesn’t just build houses, it builds futures. Recipients of BAM homes must put in 500 hours working on others' homes before they work on their own, and must commit to getting their children through high school (a feat rarely accomplished before BAM came to El Florido due to cost and lack of support systems). The parents have the opportunity for continuing education at the BAM community centers and the opportunity for micro-loans to help start businesses. BAM also has donors who sponsor college scholarships for any student who wants to continue their education. We were there for the graduation ceremony four years ago when the first BAM scholarship recipient received her Master’s Degree in Psychology, and recently saw her working with kids in the community center clinic on our trip down in October.
Now, we are ready to take the next step and biggest step so far: raising enough money to BUILD (from the foundation we will mix to the walls we will hammer and paint) and furnish a house in the name of the JBHS High Build A Miracle Club. These houses are not fancy. They cost just $25 per square foot at an average of $12,000 for a three-bedroom home. But the floors are concrete, not dirt. They have solid roofs that won’t leak. They have indoor plumbing and the family will no longer have to walk outside to use the bathroom. They have a small kitchen, rather than the oil drums with metal grates we’ve seen some families use. Parents have their own bedrooms with doors for the first time, when in their original homes families of five might share one mattress. We can build and furnish a whole house and change the trajectory of lives for only $15,000! We have already raised about $5,000 towards this goal and are excited to see how much more we can raise with your help!
With your donations, a family in this slum will have a new home and new hope for the future, life-altering gifts not only for them, but for the JBHS students who will be building these homes, practicing their Spanish and opening their hearts.
Fundraising team: Build A Miracle Club (2)
Grace Vinyard
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA
Build A Miracle
Beneficiary
Jack Weerts
Team member