Urgent aid for COVID-19 crisis in rural Guatemala

COVID-19 IN RURAL GUATEMALA: SITUATION OVERVIEW 

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, humanity is facing a tough challenge.

For all of us, this difficult time continues to create uncertainty. None of us knows how long this pandemic will last.

In Guatemala, like other places around the world, there are several challenging restrictions in place: borders are shut, public transportation is suspended, businesses are closed, and curfews have being implemented. These hurdles make access to food and basic supplies increasingly difficult.


EFFECTS ON LOCAL MAYAN FAMILIES

In our isolated, remote village of San Marcos La Laguna, it is challenging for the people to take care of and provide for their families, even under normal circumstances. In these trying times there are 1,000 local families who are at risk of completely running out of food and basic supplies in the coming days! Were this to come to pass, it would have a terrible effect on this already struggling community, especially for the children and the elderly.

The last few weeks have brought many challenges for people across the globe, but we recognize the serious impact of the situation here in the developing world to be far more extreme.

 
HOW YOU CAN HELP

In this time of uncertainty, we are reaching out for support so we can offer assistance to our neighbors in need. As of March 24, Guatemalan Congress has ratified to extend the state of calamity for 30 additional days. Our objective is to supply the 1,000 local families with staple foods for the next five weeks. Please consider donating now so we can help relieve the burden. Everyone has to eat. Your support means we can bring food to those who really need it.

 
HOW WE WILL USE YOUR DONATION

$10,000 will buy food for the whole village of San Marcos La Laguna for 1 week. For at least the next 5 weeks, we aim to provide food for each family in the village.
Each increment of $10,000 will make it possible allow us to feed the entire village of San Marcos (1,000 families) for one week.

All funds will go directly to Qixing Taiji TaoTemple, and the food will be purchased directly from wholesalers and then distributed to each family in San Marcos.

We have already reached $10,000. This would not have been possible without your generosity, and for this we are deeply grateful for your support. Please help us to reach our goal!

 
WHO ARE WE

We are a Taoist Temple based at Lake Atitlán, Guatemala, and a registered US nonprofit charity 501(c)3, aiding economically underprivileged locals, mainly from the village of San Marcos La Laguna.

Since 2012, our projects have been fortunate enough to bring in over 3-million dollars to aid and support the people and economy of San Marcos (and elsewhere in Guatemala), dramatically improving the quality of life for the families these projects support.

Please join us in helping to relieve the burden on people who need it.

More info here: www.TaoTemple.org/CommunityBetterment

(If you are a US Citizen, your donations are tax deductible. Tax ID #47_1575386)

 
LAST FEW WORDS

When basic needs are compromised, it creates a strain on an already stressful situation. During the global pandemic that we are currently facing, we see more clearly our interdependence, and we are called to help each other out. Please join us in helping to ease the crisis by providing our neighbors with food security. Together, we can do it!