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June 26, 2008
Hospitallers, Volume 5, Summer 2008
From Houses to Homes A New Jersey Malta Ministry in Guatemala In the impoverished highlands area of Guatemala, the living quarters of most of the poor are makeshift homes of nothing more than cornstalk or cardboard walls with dirt floors. For the past five years, a volunteer-staffed organization called From Houses to Homes-Guatemala, Inc. has been building or rebuilding houses that are strong, safe, culturally appropriate and affordable to maintain.
Jim Tierney, Malta Auxiliary, and Brian Moran, K.M. (both Board Members of FHTH) continued a string of many visits over several years to participate in this endeavor. This spring, Morgan Murray, K.M., and seventeen year old grandson Sam Murray made the trip to Guatemala to join the crew in the home building program. From Houses To Homes is a New Jersey-based non-profit 501(c) (3) organization founded in 2004 to build homes and support educational opportunities to improve the lives of the rural poor in Guatemala.
FHTH is currently funded from private donations, corporate contributions and private foundations. Nearly 100% of donations go toward building homes and providing health and education to revitalize disadvantaged communities in Guatemala. Each home costs $1,500 for materials and transportation. The homes are 13x19 feet, made entirely of concrete block with a metal-framed window with glass. Each home is stuccoed and painted inside and out with colors chosen by the homeowner.
Since January 2005, 136 homes have been built through the program, providing housing for 857 people. So far in 2008, the education program paid the cost of school registration and supplies for 564 children. This is up from 269 children in 2007, 54 children in 2006, and 18 children in 2005. To date, 346 volunteers from 19 different countries have actively participated in the FHTH program. For more information on From Houses to Homes, go to their web site at www.fromhousestohomes.org.
By Morgan Murray, K.M.
The Order of Malta is a worldwide, lay, religious order of the Roman Catholic Church, which seeks to glorify God by promoting the sanctification of each member through his or her work with the sick and the poor and witness of the Catholic faith. There are only three United States Associations established by decree of the Grand Master and vote of the Sovereign Council of the Order headquartered in Rome.
The American Association, U.S.A., New York, New York, Founded in 1927
The Western Association, U.S.A., San Francisco, California, Founded in 1953
The Federal Association, U.S.A., Washington, DC, Founded in 1974
Founded as the Southern Association, became the Federal Association in 1985.
We are extremely pleased to be the recipient of a Grant awarded by the Order of Malta, American Association, USA, Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta. The Order of Malta, American Association, awarded 57 grants in 2008 totaling almost one million dollars, and we are honored to be one of twelve International Programs to be chosen.
http://www.maltausa.org/works_grants_approved.php?year=2008
A Safe Haven for Newborns Miami, FL $10,000
AmeriCares Stamford, CT $125,000
Angel’s Place Southfield, MI $12,500
Benedictine Health Foundation for Benedictine Hospital Kingston, NY $10,000
Birth Haven, Inc. Newton, NJ $4,500
Blessed Mother Teresa Parish (Boston Catholic Youth Connection) Dorchester, MA $9,000
Cardinal Sheehan Center Bridgeport, CT $15,000
Cathedral of Immaculate Conception Camden, NJ $10,000
Catholic Charities - Archdiocese of Chicago Chicago, IL $5,500
Catholic Guardian Society and Home Bureau New York, NY $10,000
College & Community Fellowship New York, NY $10,000
Collin County Adult Clinic Plano, TX $7,500
CRUDEM Foundation St. Louis, MO $110,000
CRUDEM Foundation St. Louis, MO $35,000
CRUDEM Foundation St. Louis, MO $5,000
Dead Theologians Society Black Earth, WI $1,000
Education for Parish Service Foundation, Inc. Washington, DC $25,000
From Houses to Homes - Guatemala Morristown, NJ $6,000
Good Counsel, Inc. Harrison, NY $13,000
H. B. King Medical Brigade Spring Lake, NJ $5,000
Haitian Health Foundation Norwich, CT $20,000
Holy Family Hospital Foundation Bethlehem, Palestine $50,000
Hope for Haiti Naples. FL $15,000
House of Friendship Foundation, Inc. Springlake, NJ $25,000
Housing For All Corporation (CHAMP Homes) Hyannis, MA $22,000
Human Resources of the Hamptons Southampton, NY $10,000
Inter Mirifica, Inc. DBA Catholic Radio 89.1 FM Indianapolis, IN $10,000
Life Center of Long Island Massapequa, NY $15,000
Malta House of Good Counsel Norwalk, CT $25,000
Marian Center School and Services, Inc. Miami Gardens, FL $10,000
Myanmar American Association $15,000
National Organization for Continuing Education for Roman Catholic Clergy Chicago, IL $6,500
New Hope Charities, Inc. West Palm Beach, FL $10,000
Order of Malta Medical/Dental Clinic Bloomfield Hills, MI $8,000
Our Lady's Inn St. Louis, MO $9,000
Pierre Toussaint School Cap Haitien, Haiti $25,000
Port Ministries Chicago, IL $20,000
Pregnancy Care Center, Inc. New Rochelle, NY $17,000
Prison Ministry American Association $57,500
Prison Ministry Long Island Area $10,000
Project Reach, Inc. New York, NY $15,000
Right to Life of Michigan Educational Fund Farmington Hills, MI $5,000
Rose Hill Center Holly, MI $20,000
Sacred Heart Tree of Life Pantry Lynn, MA $15,000
Saint Mary's Parish John Paul II Immigration Center Waltham, MA $2,000
Several Sources Foundation (Ladies Rest) Ramsey, NJ $5,000
Shepherd's Inc. Bridgeport, CT $4,000
St. Ann Mission Naranju, FL $15,000
St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church - "Fresh Start Program" Boca Raton, FL $5,000
St. Patrick Center St. Louis, MO $25,000
The Camp Harbor View Foundation, Inc. Boston, MA $20,000
The Center in Asbury Park, Inc. Asbury Park, NJ $5,000
The Christ Child Society of South Bend, Indiana South Bend, IN $15,000
The New Life Ministry Old Lyme, CT $5,000
The Poverello Center - St. Francis Wellness Program Providence, RI $10,000
Word on Fire Catholic Ministries Lake Forest, IL $10,000
Xavier Society for the Blind New York, NY $10,000
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