By Louise Gilliam
In 2000, San Miguel de Allende suffered a particularly harsh winter. The unusual freezing temperatures of this winter caused several deaths in the municipality because of the extraordinarily difficult living conditions in which many rural families found themselves. Jeffrey Brown, a San Miguel resident, stonemason, and graphic artist, with the help of Irma Rosado, a local human-services consultant, secured a small donation and in 2001 formed Casita Linda, A.C., a Mexican nonprofit. From the very beginning, Casita Linda has been a wonderful team of foreigners and Mexicans working together to create hope for impoverished local families.
Over the years, our impact has greatly expanded by getting more deeply involved in the communities where we build. In January 2016, Casita Linda began offering intensive, twice weekly workshops to our families and others in the community, as well as providing various forms of support to the community as a whole. We co-host community festivals and conduct summer camps for our children; organize pet sterilization clinics with Amigos de los Animales; partner with Caminos de Agua to build rainwater catchment systems for elementary schools; and partner with the School for Special Education that builds our furniture for the houses.
In 2017, Casita Linda earned 501c3 status, becoming a recognized nonprofit organization in the United States as well as Mexico. Donations from people around the world make Casita Linda’s achievements possible. Before receiving a house, these families live in shacks made of scrap metal, cardboard, plastic sheets, and scavenged bricks with dirt floors that turn to mud in the rainy season. Moving into a Casita Linda house that has concrete floors, separate bedrooms for girls and boys, an indoor bathroom, a rainwater catchment system, furniture, and doors that lock is a profoundly life-changing event. Casita Linda’s path to homeownership is an important and in-depth process, requiring hard work, time, and dedication.
Our families are chosen through a vigorous vetting process performed by our Social Worker and our Executive Director with each family approved by the Board of Directors. There are certain criteria that must be met prior to the start of the building process. Once selected, Casita Linda homeowners must partner with us throughout the process. This partnership includes performing “sweat equity” or helping to build their own home or the homes of others in the community. Casita Linda does follow up of the families once the house is completed. Casita Linda’s community-based workshops are led by Magda Perez, a Mexican social worker with decades of experience working with poor rural communities. Our workshops begin with topics such as self-esteem, values, goal-setting, nutrition, child care, home care, water conservation, organic gardening, and income-generating projects; and work up to such challenging issues as sexuality, family planning, addiction, and domestic violence.
We also work with other local governmental and non-governmental organizations to provide additional services and resources to our families. With the skills and knowledge that we provide to our families through these workshops, they are better prepared to start a new chapter in their lives and break negative cycles, as well as to prevent the intergenerational transmission of poverty.
Casita Linda holds one fundraiser a year called the Spirt of Hope. This year, SAMBA! will be held at the Belmond Parque Sierra Nevada on October fifth with a special appearance by Lady Zen. We thank Belmond Sierra Nevada and Lady Zen for their incredible donation to our cause and to our anonymous donor who has underwritten this gala. We are sold out but please plan to attend this magical evening next year.
Thank you for your kindness and generosity.
Louise Gilliam
President
Casita Linda A.C.
*NGO submitted article
