Buenos Vecinos de Boquete
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N&N Catering Company
N&N Catering Company started in 2015 when two good friends, Nancy Halbert and Nairn Cutten, were discussing how they could contribute to the Boquete community. Both friends are excellent cooks, and Nancy had experience in the States with a Christian ministry that fed the homeless, serving up to 200 meals a day. Soon N&N Catering was born.
Over the ensuing years, N&N catered many events, both intimate home dinners and large public occasions. They charged only for their food costs and profits earned from ticketed events were donated to their three chosen beneficiaries: Buenos Vecinos de Boquete, The Handicap Foundation, and Boquete Health and Hospice.
On many occasions the ladies absorbed their food costs and catered free of charge. In addition, they donated funds to individuals and groups that needed immediate assistance.
Nairn says that “Buenos Vecinos has always been an organization close to our hearts; we love the work BVB does for the community and beyond.”
Buenos Vecinos certainly appreciates the generous and consistent support from N&N Catering. The monthly food packs provided by BVB to our families are not as delicious as the food prepared by N&N! But Nancy and Nairn share the BVB focus on food as a tool to assist the needy, or simply for sheer pleasure. Thank you, N&N Catering, for all you do!
Family of the Month May 2020 Manuel's FamilyWhat Manuel lacks in height and weight he makes up in character, heart and humility. Now sixty-two, he has always been the sole income provider for his family. His wife Florentina stays home to care for their two-year old grandson Victor while their daughter Flor attends classes in David. As the only male model in this family, Manuel takes great pride in helping raise, guide and love this little boy.
Last fall, before his sudden illness, subsequent surgery and long recovery period, Manuel was the gardener and groundskeeper for three local families. He had already shown himself to be a reliable and capable worker. He ably demonstrated those qualities when one of his employers, an elderly woman in her 70s, fell during the night and lay on the floor until Manuel’s arrival at 7 a.m. After making her comfortable he called the neighbors and an ambulance to take her to the hospital. He is so much more than an “employee”; he is a trusted friend and assistant. All of them very much miss his diligent work on their properties, his cheerful outlook and his thoughtful ideas. Manuel assures them that he is looking forward to resuming his work as soon as he regains his full strength.
He says that he is not use to looking to others to help feed his family and he feels embarrassed, but he als
o admits that he is grateful for every bag of rice and basket of staples. With Victor standing beside him, Manuel shared how excited everyone gets when the Buenos Vecinos volunteers arrive each month. He added, “We thank God that you always remember us and give us this food with a smile.”
Buenos Vecinos and Handicap Foundation Emergency Food PackingThe past six weeks have been a challenging time for our community and especially for those who already live in poverty and are served by Buenos Vecinos de Boquete and Fundacion Pro-Integracion (Handicap Foundation). Because of the quarantine and social distancing restrictions we have been unable to provide for our families with our usual food services. We were, however, able to reach a number of our families through the efforts of volunteers in a small community close to Boquete and Migdalia at the Handicap Foundation.
In March and April Buenos Vecinos packed and delivered food to 25 families that live in an area just outside of Boquete. Volunteers included BVB members as well as community members. This was accomplished observing the social distancing guidelines and staying within the two hour time allotted to them by the government.
In March Migdalia, the office manager of the Handicap Foundation, packed food for families that are clients of Buenos Vecinos and the Handicap Foundation She did the packing alone using her two hours on her allowed day. She was able to get a permit from the mayor on the second packing day to be able to work the full day and complete the job. In total, Migdalia packed food for 39 families with food received from Ro-Her on the Buenos Vecinos de Boquete credit account. In April Migdalia was able to get a permit from the mayor to work all day on “ladies’” days to pack the food. This most recent purchase was paid for by Fundación Pro Integración and will include the 6 families that receive food through Amigos de Boquete, for a total of 45 families. Amigos de Boquete has assumed the responsibility of delivering the food to their people.
With our combined efforts we were able to reach most of our clients the past two months. We are looking forward to the day when we can meet and pack for all of our families and make our deliveries as usual.How to Help
If you would like to help our clients and the efforts of Buenos Vecinos de Boquete, we would appreciate your donation of any size. It’s important for you to know that we are a small all-volunteer force with no administrative or overhead costs. Every dollar of your donation goes to the purchase of food for out clients. When you make that important decision to help feed the less fortunate in our community, you have truly become a “good neighbor”. When you donate $400 a year or a little more than $33 a month, you become a Coconut Foundation Member as an acknowledgment of your concern and generosity. Donate Online: We use PayPal for easy and secure transactions.
If you prefer to donate by cash or local check, please contact Louise Orr panamaleo@gmail.com for arrangements.
Be sure to check out our website and Facebook page:Face book page: https://www.facebook.com/BuenosVecinosDeBoquete/Thank you!
Copyright © 2020 Buenos Vecinos de Boquete, All rights reserved.
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Buenos Vecinos de Boquete April, 2020 Family Update
Benilda and Her Family
When six-year old Jahicha met us a year and a half ago she told us to “say her name right”. Zha-he’-cha, she insisted with a smile. She told us how excited she was to be joining her brothers and sisters at school the next school year. She loved the smell of their new pencils and notebooks and was eager to have her own. This year, some “angels” in the area bought school supplies for her and her siblings. They had just begun the new school year on March 2nd when a few days later the Panama Department of Education closed the schools to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Not only did school end, so did their education; the public school system does not possess the mechanism to provide on-line education. But she hopes that her older siblings might help her practice her new reading and math skills.
Jahicha looks up to her nineteen-year old brother Alexander. He became the “man of the house” three years ago when his father abandoned his mother and seven brothers and sisters. Alexander had enrolled in a trade school in David to become an electrician. He wanted to help his mom, Benilda, and the rest of the family. Bringing home $240 a month, she has been the sole income-provider with her three weekly house-cleaning jobs, but those jobs have now been suspended.
And yet, this family feels fortunate. Their bamboo house with its dirt floor and sturdy roof still keeps out the rain and, although there is no running water in the house, they do have electricity so that they can read and play games inside after sunset. Benilda says that she and the children want to thank Buenos Vecinos for the food they provide each month. It’s become a lifeline during this very hard time in their lives.
How to help?
If you would like to help our clients and the efforts of Buenos Vecinos de Boquete, we would appreciate your donation of any size. It is important for you to know that we are a small all-volunteer force with no administrative or overhead costs. Every dollar of your donation goes to the purchase or storage of food for our clients.
When you make that important decision to help feed the less fortunate in our community, you have truly become a “good neighbor”. When you donate $360 a year or $30 a month (about the cost of a daily latte), you will become a Coconut Foundation member as an acknowledgment of your concern and generosity.
Donate Online: We use PayPal for easy and secure transactions.
If you prefer to donate by cash or local check, please contact Louise Orr panamaleo@gmail.com for arrangements.
Be sure to check out our website and Facebook page:
Face book page: https://www.facebook.com/BuenosVecinosDeBoquete/
Website: http://www.buenosvecinosdeboquete.com/
Thank you!
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I think a government agency would be able to do something that our small group of volunteers couldn't do. The majority of our families are clients of the Handicap Foundation. It has worked seamlessly to pack the food there and then they pick it up when they come to the Saturday gatherings at the Foundation. They are scattered all about the Boquete area with some of them living in remote areas. With the current restrictions it was an impossible task to get the food to them. We are planning on giving them double allotments when we are able to pack again. We feel terrible about the situation but there weren't any other options for us. I hope that there will be a government agency in our area that will address their food needs. As soon as the restrictions lift to the point where we can do a pack, we will do it.
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Buenos Vecinos de Boquete in the Time of Corona Virus March 2020
Our group was unable to pack for the 100+ families that we normally pack for each month in March. The majority of our clients come to the Handicap Foundation to get their food. The Foundation is closed and now the buses aren’t running. We didn’t have a way to deliver to all of those clients. It was with careful thought and consideration that the March food packing was cancelled. We will compensate our clients for the food they missed this month with our future packings.
We do, however, have a group of 19 clients concentrated in a rural area within our Boquete designated parameters. The representante of this district identified six other families who are also in dire need of food. The Bunenos Vecinos volunteers living in this area quickly arranged with our wholesale food supplier, Ro-Her, to order and pick up the usual food allotments for the 25 families. The food was picked up and we packed it with the help of some neighbors who volunteered to assist us. It was a local community effort. The food was delivered in the last two days during our allowed two hours to be away from home. We have some photos of some of the grateful families receiving the food while our volunteers kept the recommended social distance.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our generous donors who have made it possible for us to be a food support service to our community for the past fourteen years. We are especially grateful at this time that we are able to assist at least a portion of our clients and we hope to be back to full support soon.
How to help?
If you would like to help our clients and the efforts of Buenos Vecinos de Boquete, we would appreciate your donation of any size. It is important for you to know that we are a small all-volunteer force with no administrative or overhead costs. Every dollar of your donation goes to the purchase or storage of food for our clients.
When you make that important decision to help feed the less fortunate in our community, you have truly become a “good neighbor”. When you donate $360 a year or $30 a month (about the cost of a daily latte), you will become a Coconut Foundation member as an acknowledgment of your concern and generosity.
Donate Online: We use PayPal for easy and secure transactions.
If you prefer to donate by cash or local check, please contact Louise Orr panamaleo@gmail.com for arrangements.
Be sure to check out our website and Facebook page:
Face book page: https://www.facebook.com/BuenosVecinosDeBoquete/
Website: http://www.buenosvecinosdeboquete.com/
Thank you!
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January 2020 Family of the Month Updates
Aida has been a Buenos Vecinos client for eight years. When we first met Aida her oldest granddaughter, Danila, was ten and her youngest great-granddaughter, Yorlenys, was three. There were also two other children in the house; a grandson, Davis and a great-granddaughter, Cyndel. Aida cared for these children by herself and has always been appreciative of the food support she receives from Buenos Vecinos.
In the ensuing years most of the children have moved away and Aida has developed health problems. She has joint pain and has trouble sleeping. Yorlenys is the remaining child at home and now she is caring for her grandmother instead of her grandmother taking care of her. Of course she still attends school during the day. You will see in the last photo Yorlenys when we met her and she was only three.
Aida was an exemplary caregiver of her charges. She was determined that they studied and did well in school. Danila has greatly benefitted from this expectation. When she finished elementary and it was time to go to high school, she received scholarships first to a Catholic boarding school and then because of her outstanding grades she had a full scholarship to a government boarding school that specializes in agriculture. She recently graduated from this school with a high school diploma. She excelled in both schools she attended and is eligible for a scholarship to study in the United States. Portugal or Mexico. Danila now has a wonderful opportunity for higher education because of the encouragement and support Aida gave her when she was younger.
There is another family that we have been delivering food to for a number of years. The father is disabled and there is one child left living at home. She recently graduated from high school. She has a full scholarship based on academic achievement and plans to attend university in David. Her father proudly told us today that his daughter is going to have a better life.
It has been inspiring watching these young people grow up and to see the value that has been placed on education for them. Even though Buenos Vecinos is strictly a food charity it is clear that we are in some small way supporting families who value education by providing help for their nutritional needs.
In the next two photos below you will see Aida’s family when we first met them and Yorlenys and Danila with Aida today. It is clear to see that hard work and caring for others shows on Aida’s face.
How to help?
If you would like to help our clients and the efforts of Buenos Vecinos de Boquete, we would appreciate your donation of any size. It is important for you to know that we are a small all-volunteer force with no administrative or overhead costs. Every dollar of your donation goes to the purchase or storage of food for our clients.
When you make that important decision to help feed the less fortunate in our community, you have truly become a “good neighbor”. When you donate $360 a year or $30 a month (about the cost of a daily latte), you will become a Coconut Foundation member as an acknowledgment of your concern and generosity.
Donate Online: We use PayPal for easy and secure transactions.
If you prefer to donate by cash or local check, please contact Louise Orr panamaleo@gmail.com for arrangements.
Be sure to check out our website and Facebook page:Face book page: https://www.facebook.com/BuenosVecinosDeBoquete/Thank you!
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View this email in your browser BVB Posts a YouTube Video with “Oscar On the Streets”
Recently, Oscar Peña, talented interviewer and Boquete Ning personality, visited Buenos Vecinos de Boquete on one of our food-packing days to find out more about the organization, its mission and who it serves, how it operates and how it delivers its food to the client families. He spoke with Louise Orr, our chairwoman, and visited the homes of three of our families. Click on the video below to view the short eleven-minute presentation and to see how Oscar illuminates the highlights of BVB. Many of our Spanish-speaking “Good Neighbors” might learn some new things about Buenos Vecinos they hadn't known before. Gracias, Oscar! 
Louise Orr and Oscar Peña Family of the Month- December 2019
Meet Marcelina’s FamilyTucked away in the remote highlands is a one room 12X12 foot wooden structure. Marcelina and her six children call this humble dwelling home. When we arrived for the first food delivery only the three younger children, six-year-old identical twin girls and a 2-year-old boy with solemn brown eyes, were there with their mom. The three older children are boys aged 10-16 who were all in school. When asked why the girls weren’t in school Marcelina sadly replied that they couldn’t go to school because they didn’t have shoes.
The wooden structure is situated on agricultural property with tomato plants and various vegetables being grown for commercial use. The family doesn’t own the property and they are being allowed to live there. Marcelina is unable to work because she is caring for her children. She doesn’t receive any child support and essentially has no income. The electricity that is available to them comes from an extension cord connected to her mother’s house about 100 meters away.
It is obvious that Marcelina values education and encourages her children to go to school. Her oldest son lives with a relative who resides closer to the high school he attends. The younger brother attends the same high school but, because he prefers to live at home with his mother and siblings, he has to get up at four each morning to catch two buses to get there on time. The 10-year-old son attends the local school which is still a long trek from his home. Measures will be taken to insure that the two girls, Raquel and Daniela, have shoes to wear to school when the next term begins.
In spite of what would be for us dire living conditions, the girls and little boy seem happy. The girls gave us a lively tour of the trail between their house and their grandmother’s house through the sugar cane. At one point Raquel snatched a piece of fruit from a sour orange tree and ate it like candy. It makes one pucker just to think of it. The little boy, Esteban, had a broken cell phone that he held up to his face like he was taking photos of us. He never changed his serious demeanor.
This is another one of our families that truly benefit from the food supplement received from Buenos Vecinos. Hopefully, families who live in such poverty at the very least will not have to worry about having food for their children. It is a goal to help our families to encourage their children to pursue education as a means of improving their lives. Marcelina is a good example of a mother who places importance on education and the future when her older sons go to school when they could be working to provide income to the family.
How to Help If you would like to help our clients and the efforts of Buenos Vecinos de Boquete, we would appreciate your donation of any size. It’s important for you to know that we are a small all-volunteer force with no administrative or overhead costs. Every dollar of your donation goes to the purchase of food for out clients. When you make that important decision to help feed the less fortunate in our community, you have truly become a “good neighbor”. When you donate $400 a year or a little more than $33 a month, you become a Coconut Foundation Member as an acknowledgment of your concern and generosity. Donate Online: We use PayPal for easy and secure transactions.
If you prefer to donate by cash or local check, please contact Louise Orr panamaleo@gmail.com for arrangements.
Be sure to check out our website and Facebook page:Thank you!
Copyright © 2019 Buenos Vecinos de Boquete, All rights reserved.
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Thank you Oscar for your latest Oscar on the Streets video featuring Buenos Vecinos de Boqute!!
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September 2019 Family of the Month Update
Jon’s Family
Four-year old Jon is still too little to join his five brothers on the long walk to school each day, but he is eagerly looking forward to next year when he can dress in a white shirt, long pants, and put on his first pair of real shoes.
He and his family live in a two-room corrugated tin house held together with bamboo strips. Only the door lets in fresh air and light during the day. The dirt floor is uneven and becomes muddy during the rainy season even where the tin and tarp roof doesn’t leak. With no source of running water indoors, showering and other hygiene activities are difficult. And without electricity bedtime comes early for this family.
Jon’s mom cooks in an outdoor shack on a wood stove. The cauldron on the open fire goes from sun-up to sundown cooking beans, rice and root vegetables for this hungry household. Occasionally an old hen becomes the prized centerpiece of the meal. Everything and everyone smells like the campfire. The family is oblivious to the smoke and its hazard to their current and long-term health.
Jon’s dad is a machete worker just as his own father was. Sometimes he helps neighbors harvest sugar cane, chayote or tomatoes. Now that his oldest son, Adrian, will pass the sixth grade in December and will no longer be required to attend school, he and his father will soon work together in the fields.
Jon’s family illustrates why Buenos Vecinos de Boquete is so important to this community. There is little support from the government for those who are near or at the poverty level. The family has made little progress toward a better future for the boys, but Buenos Vecinos has been a source of encouragement and monthly supplemental food, a consistent and dependable lifeline. BVB supplements the food store for this family and almost a hundred others every month.
How to Help If you would like to help our clients and the efforts of Buenos Vecinos de Boquete, we would appreciate your donation of any size. It’s important for you to know that we are a small all-volunteer force with no administrative or overhead costs. Every dollar of your donation goes to the purchase of food for out clients. When you make that important decision to help feed the less fortunate in our community, you have truly become a “good neighbor”. When you donate $400 a year or a little more than $33 a month, you become a Coconut Foundation Member as an acknowledgment of your concern and generosity. Donate Online: We use PayPal for easy and secure transactions.
If you prefer to donate by cash or local check, please contact Louise Orr panamaleo@gmail.com for arrangements.
Be sure to check out our website and Facebook page:Thank you!
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Stop by Romero in Boquete between 9 AM and 5 PM on Saturday, September 14, to support Buenos Vecinos de Boquete during our upcoming Food Drive. Our locally-based effort assists needy community families with monthly, non-perishable food supplies. We will have samples of what you can buy at Romero to aid our work, and of course, financial assistance is always appreciated. Shop for food that you (and we) need, and meet members of our team!See below a photo of the food our clients receive each month:
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Family of the Month Update Diana’s Family
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It’s gratifying to revisit our clients and to see their progress over the years. Many have either moved up to become financially self-sufficient or have simply moved out of the Buenos Vecinos service area. Diana is an example of someone who did both. She recently reached out to BVB to tell us how life has changed for her and her sons, six year-old Angel and eight year-old Bryan.
When they first became Buenos Vecinos recipients in 2015 they were renting a 10 x 12 room from a family who paid her $10 a day to clean their house. Even with a meager monthly contribution from the boys’ father, she was barely able to pay the modest rent and other monthly living expenses. As sometimes happens, concerned neighbors referred her to BVB volunteers who vet our prospective clients, and she was quickly accepted.
However, Diana’s greatest challenge was Angel’s medical condition and accompanying expenses. Born with a severe cleft palate and lip, he had feeding and sleeping problems, frequent ear infections and asthma. He wore a small green palate protection device at home or, when away from home, a tape over his lip to hide the defect from curious stares. At that time, as seen in the photo on the left, four year-old Bryan was learning how to make funny faces and two year-old Angel was already becoming self-conscious around cameras.
In 2016 a doctor at the local medical clinic helped Diana contact Operation Smile, an international medical charity based in Virginia. They provide free surgeries in developing countries for young adults and children requiring maxillofacial reconstruction. After a series of three incremental surgeries and a year and a half of speech therapy, Angel is on his way to a complete recovery. His appearance and health have dramatically improved as you can see in the photo on the right.
Diana and the boys now live in a house that she shares with another single mom. She has a full-time housekeeping job in a nearby hotel. Both boys are doing well in school, although Bryan has needed some help learning to read. Diana is proud that she can now support her family and looks forward to a better future for them all. She has never forgotten how BVB helped her family eat during a difficult time in their lives. She wants our donors to know how grateful she has been for their help.
How to Help If you would like to help our clients and the efforts of Buenos Vecinos de Boquete, we would appreciate your donation of any size. It’s important for you to know that we are a small all-volunteer force with no administrative or overhead costs. Every dollar of your donation goes to the purchase of food for out clients. When you make that important decision to help feed the less fortunate in our community, you have truly become a “good neighbor”. When you donate $400 a year or a little more than $33 a month, you become a Coconut Foundation Member as an acknowledgment of your concern and generosity. Donate Online: We use PayPal for easy and secure transactions.
If you prefer to donate by cash or local check, please contact Louise Orr panamaleo@gmail.com for arrangements.
Be sure to check out our website and Facebook page:Thank you!
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Family of the Month- April 2019
Meet Mariano's Family
Mariano lives with his mother Iris and four siblings in a two room house provided by the government. It has no indoor bath room, no indoor water and no electricity. Iris struggles to feed and clothe her children, ages one to seventeen but she knows that education is important for all of them. Eleven year old Elizabet and five year old Eric have just begun their school year. However, Mariano’s older brother, Rogelio, was not able to afford school clothes and materials last semester or for this semester. He is endeavoring to find a way to return this year by finding nearby work, but has not yet been successful.
Mariano, seen here on the left, is a typical sixteen year-old boy. He loves to hang out with his friends, to play jokes on his siblings, and to “fit in” with the people around him. He is a bright, attentive, and happy young man, but he lives with a disability that affects him every day. When he was three weeks old he suffered an ear infection and high fever that went undiagnosed for two months, leaving him almost completely deaf; now he can communicate only with sign language and gestures. Until recently he depended on the Handicap Center (FPI) for transportation expenses to the public school a few days each week where he participated in special education classes for the hearing impaired.
This year is beginning well for Mariano; he is now starting to take a welding course at the Obispado in David. Currently FPI is supporting him, but ideally some person or organization will step forward to take over this modest financial commitment to Mariano’s future and to also provide him some attention and the encouragement that he needs to follow this important path. Iris believes that despite his disability, this training could prepare him to live a full, happy and productive life.
Iris says that she is grateful to FPI for all the things they do for Mariano and to Buenos Vecinos for providing her family non-perishable food. This BVB donation to their pantry is one they can depend on every month, she said with a smile.How to help?
If you would like to help our clients and the efforts of Buenos Vecinos de Boquete, we would appreciate your donation of any size. It is important for you to know that we are a small all-volunteer force with no administrative or overhead costs. Every dollar of your donation goes to the purchase or storage of food for our clients.
When you make that important decision to help feed the less fortunate in our community, you have truly become a “good neighbor”. When you donate $360 a year or $30 a month, you will become a Coconut Foundation member as an acknowledgment of your concern and generosity.
Donate Online: We use PayPal for easy and secure transactions.
If you prefer to donate by cash or local check, please contact Louise Orr panamaleo@gmail.com for arrangements.
Be sure to check out our website and Facebook page:Face book page: https://www.facebook.com/BuenosVecinosDeBoquete/Thank you!
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Buenos Vecinos de Boquete Newsletter April 2019
International Coffee Farms Corporations Joins Buenos Vecinos Food Delivery
Representatives of International Coffee Farms Corporation Luz and Sawang joined Buenos Vecinos members on a food delivery in March. We are grateful to have ICFC as our corporate sponsors. It was a pleasure to have Luz and Sawang meet our clients and help with the delivery.
All of the clients we delivered to on this trip are elderly and do not have a financial safety net. The majority of them are bachelors without any close family members to live with and care for them. The rest are elderly women whose families are struggling to provide for them. They all welcome the food support they receive from Buenos Vecinos every month.
One of our stops was at Chichi’s. He lives alone in a tin house, suffers from diabetes and is unable to work. There is a government program in the area to build small cinder block houses for qualifying residents who are living on a poverty level. Chichi tells us that he is going to be living in one of those houses soon. Luz is pictured in the photos and Sawang was the photographer.
We delivered food to Octavio’s niece Mariela. Octavio is in his 80s and lives in a one room house provided by government next door to Mariela. Mariela cooks the food that we deliver for Octavio. A resident of Potrerillos, Nino Espinosa, has been helping with our food deliveries for eleven years. We appreciate his involvement and help with our program.
Aida has been one of our clients for nine years. Over the years she has been the caregiver for numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Now Aida is starting to lose her mobility and her grandchildren need to help take care of her.
Rosa is a breast cancer survivor. Her caregiver is her daughter who has a disabled child. Rosa is always happy to see us.
Boquete Has Heart Sponsors Another Successful Fund-Raiser
Last month’s Casino Night was not only an evening of wonderful food and fun, it also provided two local charities, Amigos de Animales de Boquete and Buenos Vecinos de Boquete some much-appreciated funding for their programs. The proceeds from the event admissions and, most especially from the silent action, will purchase the non-perishable food BVB provides on a monthly basis for eight families for an entire year. This is a tremendous boost and we want to thank not only those who attended and bid on the silent auction items, but also all the volunteers who spent months planning and then executing this event.
And at the top of the list, a heart-felt thank you goes out to each of our generous donors who have shown us how much they care about our programs and our community.
Bamboo Spa Look Good Panama
Beth Abrahams Lori Cloutier Niscoromni
Big Daddy's Janie Pageau
Bocas Del Mar Hotel and Resort John and Liz Wiseman
Boulder 54 Maria Bonita Taqueria
Boquete Outdoor Adventure Morton's Bakehouse
Byron and Dede Basden N&N Catering
Cafe Central at Hotel Central Boquete Perfect Pair
Casa Viejo Season's Restaurant /Lucero Golf Club
Chop Sticks Restaurant Sharon Ball
Dra. Vanessa Lambiz Show Pony Resort
Fabric Art by Sylvette Day Sugar amd Spice
Felipe Motta Terrace Bistro in Volcan
George's Fireside Grill The Boquete Sandwich Shop
Gijs and Hanny Hoogerkamp The Tree House at Rio Encantado
Gluten Free Gold Bakery and Restaurant
Las Olas Resort The Garden Restaurant and Country
Yolanda Vega Store
Family of the Month- April 2019
Meet Mariano's Family
Mariano lives with his mother Iris and four siblings in a two room house provided by the government. It has no indoor bath room, no indoor water and no electricity. Iris struggles to feed and clothe her children, ages one to seventeen but she knows that education is important for all of them. Eleven year old Elizabet and five year old Eric have just begun their school year. However, Mariano’s older brother, Rogelio, was not able to afford school clothes and materials last semester or for this semester. He is endeavoring to find a way to return this year by finding nearby work, but has not yet been successful.
Mariano, seen here on the left, is a typical sixteen year-old boy. He loves to hang out with his friends, to play jokes on his siblings, and to “fit in” with the people around him. He is a bright, attentive, and happy young man, but he lives with a disability that affects him every day. When he was three weeks old he suffered an ear infection and high fever that went undiagnosed for two months, leaving him almost completely deaf; now he can communicate only with sign language and gestures. Until recently he depended on the Handicap Center (FPI) for transportation expenses to the public school a few days each week where he participated in special education classes for the hearing impaired.
This year is beginning well for Mariano; he is now starting to take a welding course at the Obispado in David. Currently FPI is supporting him, but ideally some person or organization will step forward to take over this modest financial commitment to Mariano’s future and to also provide him some attention and the encouragement that he needs to follow this important path. Iris believes that despite his disability, this training could prepare him to live a full, happy and productive life.
Iris says that she is grateful to FPI for all the things they do for Mariano and to Buenos Vecinos for providing her family non-perishable food. This BVB donation to their pantry is one they can depend on every month, she said with a smile.How to help?
If you would like to help our clients and the efforts of Buenos Vecinos de Boquete, we would appreciate your donation of any size. It is important for you to know that we are a small all-volunteer force with no administrative or overhead costs. Every dollar of your donation goes to the purchase or storage of food for our clients.
When you make that important decision to help feed the less fortunate in our community, you have truly become a “good neighbor”. When you donate $360 a year or $30 a month, you will become a Coconut Foundation member as an acknowledgment of your concern and generosity.
Donate Online: We use PayPal for easy and secure transactions.
If you prefer to donate by cash or local check, please contact Louise Orr panamaleo@gmail.com for arrangements.
Be sure to check out our website and Facebook page:Face book page: https://www.facebook.com/BuenosVecinosDeBoquete/Thank you!
This email was sent to trishchristofferson@gmail.com
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Buenos Vecinos de Boquete · Boquete, Chiriqui · Panama City · Panama
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March 2019 Family of the Month Amado's Family
Last November the BVB Newsletter reported that Amado was suffering from a serious stomach disorder that kept him bedridden and unable to work for many weeks. The whole family suffered, and when neighbors alerted us to the situation, Buenos Vecinos stepped in and began to deliver non-perishable food to their door on an emergency basis. Within the last three and a half months, Amado has made a complete recovery. He was able to go back to work in the cane fields because he is once again healthy and strong. His wife, Catalina and his four children, Jovany 14, Jonny 11, Diana 9 and Janeth 5 have also regained their smiles. Amado and Catalina no longer need the food assistance, but they say that they will always remember that Buenos Vecinos helped their family when they needed it most.
How to help?
If you would like to help our clients and the efforts of Buenos Vecinos de Boquete, we would appreciate your donation of any size. It is important for you to know that we are a small all-volunteer force with no administrative or overhead costs. Every dollar of your donation goes to the purchase or storage of food for our clients.
When you make that important decision to help feed the less fortunate in our community, you have truly become a “good neighbor”. When you donate $360 a year or $30 a month, you will become a Coconut Foundation member as an acknowledgment of your concern and generosity.
Donate Online: We use PayPal for easy and secure transactions.
If you prefer to donate by cash or local check, please contact Louise Orr panamaleo@gmail.com for arrangements.
Be sure to check out our website and Facebook page:Face book page: https://www.facebook.com/BuenosVecinosDeBoquete/Thank you!
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Buenos Vecinos de Boquete Newsletter March 2019
International Coffee Farms Corporation Generously Supports BVB
Buenos Vecinos de Boquete is proud and grateful to announce the generous support of International Coffee Farms Corporation (ICFC), based here in Boquete. This innovative company has assumed the financial support of ten of our families for an entire year!
ICFC owns and operates 11 specialty coffee estates and provides investment opportunities in the coffee industry. The pillar of this company is sustainability, not only environmental sustainability (with the use of modern farming practices and coffee processing), economic sustainability (with proven success by working smarter), but also social sustainability.
Here the link with Buenos Vecinos becomes evident. ICFC utilizes 20% of their gross profit to provide improved housing for their indigenous workers and scholarship programs for the education of their children. This model of social responsibility is not only admirable, but a cornerstone of the company’s business.
Buenos Vecinos, too, strives to assist our community, and with ICFC we have found a like-minded and most generous donor! Be sure to stop by The Perfect Pair in downtown Boquete, a sister company to ICFC, and taste their specialty coffee or try a delicious sample of chocolate from their cacao operations in Belize.
A heartfelt Thank You! from all of us at BVB, and the families we serve, to International Coffee Farms Corporation. Be sure to check out their informative and lively website: internationalcoffeefarms.com
Panama’s Top-Rated Hotel Becomes the Latest Casino Night Auction Item 
Boquete Has Heart, sponsor of the upcoming Casino Night at the Animales Event Center on March 16th is pleased to announce a remarkable donation from Bocas del Mar, a luxury boutique hotel in Boca Chica. They are providing two 2-night bed and breakfast packages for two at their delightful resort. Two lucky bidders will each enjoy a romantic getaway package to one of Panama’s finest venues
Named #1 Hotel in Panama, and winner of the prestigious Trip Advisor Travelers Choice Award for 2019, Bocas Del Mar features modern stylish bungalows set in gardens with views of the bay at Boca Chica and islands of the Gulf of Chiriqui Marine National Park. With two infinity pools, an outdoor restaurant and bar, the hotel also offers personal services like massages, and excursions for snorkeling, whale-watching, in season, deep-sea fishing, and trips to unspoiled islands of tropical jungle and solitary beaches. Enjoy photos and additional information at www.bocasdelmar.com.
Based upon availability April 25th – October 31st 2019. Excluding July 15th-Aug 25th, Saturday nights and all holidays. These packages include breakfast and are valued at $360 each. Both packages may not be purchased and used by the same couple.
CASINO NIGHT
So join us this Saturday 5-8 pm. For and evening of chance and fun.This fund-raising event on behalf of Buenos Vecinos de Boquete (BVB) and Amigos de Animales de Boquete will feature casino games, passed appetizers, a cash bar and a silent auction of valuable items like resort stays, restaurant and service vouchers, and other items and services. The $15 tickets available at the Boquete Tuesday Morning Market and Boquete Mailboxes Etc., or $20 at the door will also include $500 of free “funny money” to use for playing the games.Family of the Month Update March 2019 Amado’s Family
Last November the BVB Newsletter reported that Amado was suffering from a serious stomach disorder that kept him bedridden and unable to work for many weeks. The whole family suffered, and when neighbors alerted us to the situation, Buenos Vecinos stepped in and began to deliver non-perishable food to their door on an emergency basis. Within the last three and a half months, Amado has made a complete recovery. He was able to go back to work in the cane fields because he is once again healthy and strong. His wife, Catalina and his four children, Jovany 14, Jonny 11, Diana 9 and Janeth 5 have also regained their smiles. Amado and Catalina no longer need the food assistance, but they say that they will always remember that Buenos Vecinos helped their family when they needed it most.
How to help?
If you would like to help our clients and the efforts of Buenos Vecinos de Boquete, we would appreciate your donation of any size. It is important for you to know that we are a small all-volunteer force with no administrative or overhead costs. Every dollar of your donation goes to the purchase or storage of food for our clients.
When you make that important decision to help feed the less fortunate in our community, you have truly become a “good neighbor”. When you donate $360 a year or $30 a month, you will become a Coconut Foundation member as an acknowledgment of your concern and generosity.
Donate Online: We use PayPal for easy and secure transactions.
If you prefer to donate by cash or local check, please contact Louise Orr panamaleo@gmail.com for arrangements.
Be sure to check out our website and Facebook page:Face book page: https://www.facebook.com/BuenosVecinosDeBoquete/Thank you!
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Only one week left to buy a ticket to this great community event!
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Be sure to get your tickets for this awesome event at the BCP Market tomorrow or at Mail Boxes, Etc.
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Boquete Has Heart Casino Night is March 16, from 5-8 at the Amigos de Animales Event Center. One of the silent auction items for bidding is a fantastic electric bike.The ElectroBike Dash is really a 3-in-1 power machine! With regular pedal, pedal-assist, and throttle, this state-of-the-art, lithium-ion powered bicycle can navigate you over hills and travel 20-30 minutes on one charge. Great in sun, wind or rain, and equipped with a 350W brushless motor that is extremely quiet, this bike is the ideal choice for Boquete's hilly terrain! Includes bike, charger, 2 sets of keys and panniers. The ElectroBike Dash is valued at $1200 and the minimum bid is $900.This a terrific buy if you are the successful bidder! You'll be riding high and easy!Tickets to Casino Night are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. You can buy your tickets at the Tuesday Market or at Mail Boxes, Etc.
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Little Natalie who has just turned one year old delights the family with her happy nature and easy-going personality. Her mother Maritza, in her mid-twenties, is a single mom with no current income, but she does most of the cooking and laundry for her large extended family. Maritza lives with her mom and seven nieces and nephews whose ages range from six to thirteen. It’s a busy, bustling household and both living space and food are in short supply. All of them look forward to the Buenos Vecinos monthly visit that brings them not only nutritious food, but also some friendly encouragement from their familiar BVB volunteers.
How to help?
If you would like to help our clients and the efforts of Buenos Vecinos de Boquete, we would appreciate your donation of any size. It is important for you to know that we are a small all-volunteer force with no administrative or overhead costs. Every dollar of your donation goes to the purchase or storage of food for our clients.
When you make that important decision to help feed the less fortunate in our community, you have truly become a “good neighbor”. When you donate $360 a year or $30 a month (about the cost of a daily latte), you will become a Coconut Foundation member as an acknowledgment of your concern and generosity.
Donate Online: We use PayPal for easy and secure transactions.
If you prefer to donate by cash or local check, please contact Louise Orr panamaleo@gmail.com for arrangements.
Be sure to check out our website and Facebook page:Face book page: https://www.facebook.com/BuenosVecinosDeBoquete/Thank you!
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You still have a chance to buy a ticket for Boquete Has Heart Casino Night! Tickets are available at the Tuesday Market and Mail Boxes Etc. Don't miss the second annual Amigos de Animales and Buenos Vecinos fun filled event and fundraiser. Check out the flyer for complete information.
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Buenos Vecinos de Boquete Newsletter February 2019.
Casino Night Features Exciting Auction Items
On Saturday March 16th 5-8 pm in the Animales Event Center, Boquete Has Heart will once again present Casino Night. This fund-raising event on behalf of Buenos Vecinos de Boquete (BVB) and Amigos de Animales de Boquete will feature casino games, passed appetizers, a cash bar and a silent auction of valuable items like resort stays, restaurant and service vouchers, special event tickets and other items and services. The $15 tickets available at the Boquete Tuesday Morning Market and Boquete Mailboxes Etc., or $20 at the door will also include $500 of free“funny money”.
One of the most exciting auction items being offered is a seven-night stay for four at Villa Morotin on the island of Bonaire valued at $1174.
Located in the Kralendijk district of Bonaire in the Dutch Caribbean, this island paradise is well-known by diving and snorkeling enthusiasts throughout the world. Morotin is a well-appointed modern villa situated poolside with a shaded pool deck and is just a short walk to the white-sand beach, dive shops and restaurants.
Based on availability; low season only (April 16th-December 18 2019). Includes ground transportation to and from the Bonaire airport. Valued at $1,174, tourist tax not included.
Contact Gijs Hoogerkamp gijs@hoogerkamp.nl or 6826-8402
Visit the website at www.villamorotin.com
Take a 3D-tour of the villa at: : https://my.matterport.com/models/AJyxz6Gx82g?section=media&mediasection=showcase (both floors have the same lay-out)Coconut Foundation Member Support Fuels the Buenos Vecinos Program
At the heart of BVB is that loyal core of supporters, the Coconut Foundation, many of whom have contributed to the program from its inception in 2009. Providing a minimum of $360 per year or $30 a month, these generous folks from the local and international community are the lifeblood that keeps our program alive. On behalf of our clients, all the individuals and families that we serve, we would like to acknowledge the following Coconut Members who supported Buenos Vecinos last year.
Olga Alexander
Tamara Balkenhol
Penny Barrett
Paquita Bath
Boquete Bridge Club
Luis and Carmen Botero
Robert Brauns
Alison and Bill Brundage
George and Vickie Castillo
Brian and Trish Christofferson
Laurie and Kelly Collier
Denis and Muriel Couroux
Anne and Joe Costanza
Megan Dameron
Laura and Lamar Daniel
Ed and Sue Davis
Sylvette Day
Dennis DeCorte
Mary Dreblow
Bruce and Patrice Ebel
John and Judy Ginnity
Harry and Nancy Halbert
Karen Hill
Julie Hilliard
Brandy Gregory
Lindsay and Mary Hunter
Lynne Johnson
Jim Kavney
Kathy Mckay
Ben Langton
Stephen Kingshott
Tina LaPorte
Bill and Linda Lane
Donald Lash in Memory of Denis Cody
Hans Lebuser and Barbara Lapid
Jere McCormick
N & N Catering
Patricia O’Connell
Susan Peterson
Richard and Leah Polack
Consuela Reeder
Cliff and Alicia Silverstein
Tom and Beverly Stearns
Germaine and Richard Sturtz
Robert and Dale Sylva
Sheila Tatum
Mike and Molly Traynor
Mary Ellen Watts
DeDe and Larry Widekind
Bonnie Williams
In Memory of Stephen Plowden-Wardlaw
In Memory of Vanetta Worthington
Mariah Winds Specialty Cleaning Services
Sally Zigmond and Peter Sterling
Panama Relocation Tours
Anne Harper
Doug and Bev Tyler
Katherine Gross
Rusty Castillo
Stephanie Riley
Dottie Thompson
International Coffee Farms
We extend an invitation to our Coconut Foundation members to join us at any of our food packing sessions and meetings. With prior notice, we can arrange a limited number of opportunities for these members to join one of our volunteers on a family food delivery. If interested, please contact Trish Christofferson at trishchristofferson@gmail.com
Family of the Month February 2019
Little Natalie who has just turned one year old delights the family with her happy nature and easy-going personality. Her mother Maritza, in her mid-twenties, is a single mom with no current income, but she does most of the cooking and laundry for her large extended family. Maritza lives with her mom and seven nieces and nephews whose ages range from six to thirteen. It’s a busy, bustling household and both living space and food are in short supply. All of them look forward to the Buenos Vecinos monthly visit that brings them not only nutritious food, but also some friendly encouragement from their familiar BVB volunteers.
How to help?
If you would like to help our clients and the efforts of Buenos Vecinos de Boquete, we would appreciate your donation of any size. It is important for you to know that we are a small all-volunteer force with no administrative or overhead costs. Every dollar of your donation goes to the purchase or storage of food for our clients.
When you make that important decision to help feed the less fortunate in our community, you have truly become a “good neighbor”. When you donate $360 a year or $30 a month (about the cost of a daily latte), you will become a Coconut Foundation member as an acknowledgment of your concern and generosity.
Donate Online: We use PayPal for easy and secure transactions.
If you prefer to donate by cash or local check, please contact Louise Orr panamaleo@gmail.com for arrangements.
Be sure to check out our website and Facebook page:Face book page: https://www.facebook.com/BuenosVecinosDeBoquete/Thank you!
This email was sent to trishchristofferson@gmail.com
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Buenos Vecinos de Boquete · Boquete, Chiriqui · Panama City · Panama
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Don't miss this fun event!
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Buenos Vecinos de Boquete at year’s end is pleased to report that we continue our efforts to feed the needy in our community, and we could not have done that without your amazing generosity! On average, we are providing nonperishable food to 95 families a month, with a monthly expense of over $3,420 for those food items.
Food is our only expense; we have no administrative costs. We are a very small team of nineteen volunteers, making a big impact on the lives of the families we serve. Most of our families are indigenous, elderly, single moms, handicapped, or those struggling to support a handicapped family member.
Ro-Her in Boquete is our food supplier. The company delivers the food to the Fundacion Pro Integracion building (across from Chop Sticks restaurant) where we gather every month for a lively morning of sorting and packing. Some of our families (those who receive the services of FPI) retrieve their packages right there, while other food packs are delivered to the homes of our clients by our volunteers.
How does Buenos Vecinos meet our monthly expenses? We organize Food Drives, venta de patios, and fundraising events, but most importantly, we depend on financial donations. Our group of 62 Coconut Foundation members are the superstars! These generous people commit to an annual minimum donation of $360 which covers the cost of one family for a year. Of course, there are many more modest donations, all of which add-up, and are most welcome!
As we start the New Year, we want to involve our donors more closely with our activities, and plan to introduce a program where those interested can ride along for a food delivery and meet the families. If you would like to participate, please contact me. As we end the year, we send our sincere thanks to everyone who has supported us in our work to feed the most needy of our community’s neighbors. Truly, that is a holiday blessing!
Louise Orr, Chairwoman, Buenos Vecinos de Boquete
In the photos attached you will see from top to bottom : One of our food drives which is an important fundraising source for us, our monthly packing at Fundacion Pro-Integracion and the homes of one of our clients.
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Family of the Month- November 2018
Meet the Case FamilyCatalina and Amado live in a house of wood and tin on a dirt road amid the sugar cane fields. In their early 40’s , they struggle to raise their four school-age children, two boys Jovany 14, Jonny 11 and two girls, Diana 9 and Janeth 5. Recently, this struggle has become even more perilous; in the past few months, Amado has been afflicted with a debilitating stomach disorder which has made it difficult for him to eat and therefore has also made him very weak. He has needed help to even walk, and so he is currently unable to work to support his family. Neighbors alerted a Buenos Vecinos member to this serious situation and Buenos Vecinos responded with an immediate provision of non-perishable food. Janeth grabbed the can of KLIM powdered milk and broke into a smile at this unexpected gift. In addition, Boquete Health and Hospice is providing some medical equipment to assist Amado in his home.
If you would like to help families like this and the efforts of Buenos Vecinos de Boquete, your financial support would be most appreciated.
DONATE ONLINE: http://www.buenosvecinosdeboquete.com/how-you-can-help
We use PayPal for easy and secure transactions.
IF YOU PREFER TO DONATE BY CASH, Please contact Louise Orr (panamaleo@gmail.com) for arrangements.
When you make that important decision to help feed the less fortunate in our community, you have truly become a “good neighbor”. When you donate $360 a year or $30 a month (about the cost of a daily latte), your name will be added to our “Coconut Foundation” as an acknowledgement of your concern and generosity.
Buenos Vecinos de Boquete’s wholesale purchase power enables us to furnish our clients more food than they could purchase on their own in the store with the same amount of money.Thank you!
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Family of the Month - Meet Yeisel and her Family
Yeisel, eleven years old, lives with her parents and four siblings in a modest house on the coffee farm where her father works. Last year she suffered a serious accident. The damage to her spine affected her mobility and now, even though she can walk, her gait is uneven and she must soon undergo surgery and fittings for a brace. Although her once-a-week physical therapy session is provided at no cost to the family, they are still responsible for the expenses of transportation and medicine. Pictured here are Yeisel, her younger brother Sebastian, her little sister Keisel, and her mother Norissa. Norissa expressed her gratitude for the help and support from FPI (The Handicap Center) and for the monthly bags of food from Buenos Vecinos.
How to help?
If you would like to help our clients and the efforts of Buenos Vecinos de Boquete, we would appreciate your donation of any size. It is important for you to know that we are a small all-volunteer force with no administrative or overhead costs. Every dollar of your donation goes to the purchase or storage of food for our clients.
When you make that important decision to help feed the less fortunate in our community, you have truly become a “good neighbor”. When you donate $360 a year or $30 a month (about the cost of a daily latte), you will become a Coconut Foundation member as an acknowledgment of your concern and generosity.
Donate Online: We use PayPal for easy and secure transactions.
If you prefer to donate by cash or local check, please contact Louise Orr panamaleo@gmail.com for arrangements.
Be sure to check out our website and Facebook page:Face book page: https://www.facebook.com/BuenosVecinosDeBoquete/Thank you!
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Buenos Vecinos de Boquete May Family of the Month
in Buenos Vecinos de Boquete
Posted
Family of the Month May 2020 Manuel's Family
What Manuel lacks in height and weight he makes up in character, heart and humility. Now sixty-two, he has always been the sole income provider for his family. His wife Florentina stays home to care for their two-year old grandson Victor while their daughter Flor attends classes in David. As the only male model in this family, Manuel takes great pride in helping raise, guide and love this little boy.
Last fall, before his sudden illness, subsequent surgery and long recovery period, Manuel was the gardener and groundskeeper for three local families. He had already shown himself to be a reliable and capable worker. He ably demonstrated those qualities when one of his employers, an elderly woman in her 70s, fell during the night and lay on the floor until Manuel’s arrival at 7 a.m. After making her comfortable he called the neighbors and an ambulance to take her to the hospital. He is so much more than an “employee”; he is a trusted friend and assistant. All of them very much miss his diligent work on their properties, his cheerful outlook and his thoughtful ideas. Manuel assures them that he is looking forward to resuming his work as soon as he regains his full strength.
He says that he is not use to looking to others to help feed his family and he feels embarrassed, but he also admits that he is grateful for every bag of rice and basket of staples. With Victor standing beside him, Manuel shared how excited everyone gets when the Buenos Vecinos volunteers arrive each month. He added, “We thank God that you always remember us and give us this food with a smile.”
How to Help
If you would like to help our clients and the efforts of Buenos Vecinos de Boquete, we would appreciate your donation of any size. It’s important for you to know that we are a small all-volunteer force with no administrative or overhead costs. Every dollar of your donation goes to the purchase of food for out clients. When you make that important decision to help feed the less fortunate in our community, you have truly become a “good neighbor”. When you donate $400 a year or a little more than $33 a month, you become a Coconut Foundation Member as an acknowledgment of your concern and generosity. Donate Online: We use PayPal for easy and secure transactions.
If you prefer to donate by cash or local check, please contact Louise Orr panamaleo@gmail.com for arrangements.
Be sure to check out our website and Facebook page:
Face book page: https://www.facebook.com/BuenosVecinosDeBoquete/
Website: http://www.buenosvecinosdeboquete.com/
Thank you!