An Update from Sharing the Dream in Guatemala

A letter and update from our Founder and US Director, Diane Nesselhuf

I would like to thank everyone who has donated and bought items from our online store.  It is really helping and will make a difference.

I am not hearing good news from Guatemala.  As the pandemic goes on, more people there are diagnosed, and there is a shutdown of all transportation and almost all businesses.  The people have to be off the streets at 4PM.  When you already live day to day, shutting down the country means people will not be able to survive.  

Lauren, our director in Guatemala, has temporarily left the country.  She was notified by the State Department that she should return to the US.  She did not make one of the six charter flights from the State Department but was able to book a flight on Eastern Airlines, which was the only flight other than the State Department’s flights that left Guatemala.  The State Department prioritized families and older people first.  Leaving Guatemala was a difficult decision, and she spent 4 hours outside the airport waiting to get in and then 3 hours waiting for the flight to get cleared so they could depart. Lauren will spend 15 days in self-quarantine, and then we are hoping she can come to Vermillion and help out here.  

The staff is working hard in Guatemala to keep everything going, and Lauren communicates with them many times daily via phone and Skype.  We must keep paying our staff and financing our programs.

I know it is difficult here, too.  We are all feeling the strains of being housebound, and many people here have lost their income.  Our prayers go out to people all over the world. 

I am going to make a pledge, and I am hoping those of you who are able to will also make the pledge.  I am going to pledge my government stimulus payment check to Sharing the Dream to help the people in Guatemala.  I realize not everyone can do this, and I don’t want people to feel guilty when they need their stimulus check for their family or others in need.  Please join me if you can.
 
Diane Nesselhuf
Founder/Director
Sharing the Dream in Guatemala

Donate

Please donate via the website at or send a check to:
Sharing the Dream
10 W. Main
Vermillion, SD
57069
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Can you help? 
 
We have temporarily closed our two non-profit fair trade stores in South Dakota.  Our off site spring sales have been canceled.  
 
During this difficult time, we are maintaining our programs and paying our staff in Guatemala.  Without this help, our elders would go hungry and our staff would not have an income.  There are no safety nets in Guatemala.  Sharing the Dream in Guatemala is their safety net.  This is a huge responsibility.  We need to have income of about $15,000.00 per month to keep things going in Guatemalan and here in the states.

How can you help?

• Donate online at www.sharingthedream.org or send a check to:
  Sharing the Dream
  10 W. Main
  Vermillion, SD 57069
  
  
• Purchase items from our online store and encourage others to do it, too.   Easter and Mother’s Day is coming up.  We can send a gift to someone for you directly from our online store.
  
  
• Buy a gift certificate for yourself or as a gift, and we will send it to the person. This is good for online or in-store.   It’s a way to say, “Thinking of you in this challenging time”.  You can do this online or by emailing us at [email protected]
  
  
• Share this letter with your friends and family and help us reach more people