Our association is a non-profit organization that was born from the desire of a group of citizens of Bucerias to help the less fortunate, especially the children of Bahia de Banderas.

The mission of Manos de Amor is to provide love, compassion and through proper education, each child can heal, develop self esteem and understand the true values of life and society. To encourage each child to achieve their full potential while understanding that there is nothing more empowering than the feeling of having a purpose in life. Therefore helping our society to progress and prosper in the next generations to come.

Members of Manos de Amor are committed professionals and volunteers. We operate under the support of donors, private sponsors and volunteers. The team consists of the Director, Administration staff, childcare employees, kitchen staff employees and part-time volunteers who are dedicated to providing needy children with food, clothing and shelter and to ensure that they attend school and are given a safe haven for as long as necessary.  Hopefully, when the home situation improves, they can return to their families or, in some cases, be placed in adoptive homes.

Formed on April 13, 2004, the association is non-profit, born from the desire of a group of citizens of Bucerias to help the less fortunate, especially the children of Bahia de Banderas.  The initial project of this group was construction of an orphanage/shelter in Bucerias, the first in this area.

The children housed in this Casa Hogar are "social" orphans.  This means that the parents are either unwilling or unable to care for them.  Often an older sibling, a young teenager, had been trying to care for the younger children because their parents had died or had abandoned them.

In times past, other family members would have taken these children in, but in Mexico, as in the United States and Canada, families have scattered across the country.  The older family may live in Mexico City but the younger ones have moved to this area to work.  So, the family is not here to help even if they are able.

The origins of homeless children are rooted in the general issues of poverty and income distribution in Mexico. Contributing causes are...

• Divorce of separation of the parents
• Family and domestic violence
• Personal illness of parent (s) or caretakers
• Alcohol and/or drug and solvent abuse by parents or the child
• Neglect and abuse of the child
• One or both parents in prison
• Child unable to work and contribute to the family income
• Parental lack of literacy skills and schooling
• Poor social skills and life skills of the parents
• Mental health and/or physical health problems in either the parents or the child
• Poverty or unemployment
• Parents unable to pay rent
• Emigration, economic migration of the parents to the U.S.
• Single parents unable to combine work and childcare

We receive no assistance from the government. All of our funds come from fundraisers and donations. We receive monthly assistance from a group in Montana called Lifeline of Hope. Each year we receive a sizeable contribution for Eagle’s Wings. We also have a few dedicated individuals who make donations throughout the year. We do put on two fundraisers each year. One is a cocktail party in January and the other is called Rhythm & Ribs which is held in the central plaza in Bucerias in February. There is a generous group of people who stay in the trailer parks in the north of Bucerias who put on an annual hamburger feast to benefit the orphanage.

To supplement the fundraisers and donations, we solicit usable but no longer needed items and hold bazaars, usually once a month.

We often have children brought to us who are too much trouble for the family because they have mental or physical problems. Often, the family does not have the resources, time or money, to care for these children. In times past, the family would take these children but in Mexico, as in the United States and Canada, families have scattered across the country. The older family may still live in Mexico City and the younger ones have moved to this area to work. So, the family is not here to help even if they are able.

 Our hope is to provide these children with food, clothing and shelter, ensure that they attend school and give them a safe haven for as long as necessary. All of our children attend school. Three of them attend special needs schools because of mental/physical handicaps.

Please note: the children attend school Monday through Friday and follow a schedule throughout the day. For those of you who can take the time to visit Manos de Amor, volunteers are always welcome. Send an email to casanicole2010@gmail.com to arrange your visit.

Here are some examples...

• English lessons and/or helping the children with their homework
• Interact with the children by reading stories to them in Spanish
• Volunteer to do the laundry
• Plumbing and electrical
• Painting projects
• Yard work and general maintenance
• Plan a lunch, dinner or party for the children
• Making special arrangements for a day away from the house

There are several ways that you and/or groups can take part in the ongoing support of Manos de Amor; here are several examples...

• Organize a fundraising event by you, your family, friends, business associates or church group
• Write to the children of Manos de Amor through pen pal letters
• Purchase tickets and join us at one of our fundraising events
• Help with expenses in the payment or partial payment of water, gas and electrical fees
• Monthly contribution for gasoline and/or maintenance of our vehicle
• Donation for the monthly needs and scholar uniforms

Donations to this project can be made by check payable to:

Manos de Amor por Bahia, A.C.

And sent to:

Casa Hogar Manos de Amor
Calle Rio Balsas y Rio Copostela
Colonia El Tule Dorado
Bucerias, Nayarit, Mexico 63732

Below is a list of items that are needed on a monthly basis:

• Laundry detergent
• Bleach
• Floor liquid cleaner, Pinol or Fabuloso
• Mops, buckets and brooms
• Dust pans
• Trash bags L or XL black
• Scrub sponges and pads
• Toilet paper
• Paper towels
• Kleenex
• Aluminum foil
• Liquid hand soap antibacterial
• Tooth paste, tooth brush
• Hair brush, combs
• Body soap
• Shampoo
• Wash cloths
• Bath towels
• Cereal 10 large boxes
• Sugar 15 kilos
• Knor swiss 1 kilo
• Medium cream 20 cans
• Milk Clavel 20 cans
• Milk Alpura 6 boxes
• Milk Nido 5 lg bottles
• Bread Bimbo 10 lg loaves
• Strawberry Jam 4 lg jars
• Peanut Butter 4 lg jars
• Mayonnaise 1 lg jar
• Cooking oil 20 liters
• Eggs 1 case
• Ham or Pavo 2 kilos
• Tang 1 lg bottle
• Juice apple 5 lg bottles
• Yogurt strawberry 4 lg
• Oatmeal 5 kilos
• Fruit – apples 5 kilos, mangos 10 kilos, bananas 5 kilos, melon 10, strawberries 5 kilos, papaya 5 lg, watermelon 3 large, oranges 1 bag
• Vegetables – carrots 5 kilos, onions 5 kilos, lettuce 5, squash 5 kilos, chayotes 5 kilos, broccoli 5 kilos, cauliflower 3, celery 2 kilos, potatoes 5 kilos, chard 5 handfuls, tomatoes 10 kilos
• Garlic 1 kilo
• Bimbillos 10 pkgs
• Medias Noches 10 pkgs
• Rice
• Beans

If you wish to donate any of the above items, please contact casanicole2010@gmail.com