News from the field
2021 EPIC Annual General Meeting
7.17.21 - EPIC’s ANNUAL MEETING, July 17, 2021 Join us in celebrating the start of EPIC’s 45th year! Our Latin American Program Partners will be on zoom with donors, friends and Board 9:00 am PDT; 10:00 am MDT; 11 am CDT; noon EDT.
4.22.21 – Earth Day
While the US is in turmoil, all EPIC program partners are starting a new year of activities. These are modified to prevent the spread of Covid. In Mexico students pre-K through 6th grade at La Buena Tierra are studying virtually via cell phones. For children without phones, the director acquired donated used phones. EPIC provided some needed scholarships and school kits for kindergarten students who could not afford them.
2.1.21 – A Story of the Unexpected: Upland Rice
While the US is in turmoil, all EPIC program partners are starting a new year of activities. These are modified to prevent the spread of Covid. In Mexico students pre-K through 6th grade at La Buena Tierra are studying virtually via cell phones. For children without phones, the director acquired donated used phones. EPIC provided some needed scholarships and school kits for kindergarten students who could not afford them.
1.29.21 – Building ‘Hope At Home’ Continues
With Hurricanes Eta and Iota hundreds of thousands of Hondurans lost their homes and more have lost their crops - their food for 2021. Without homes or food, Hondurans have formed caravans to flee to the US. They are being turned back in Guatemala and Mexico. Hondurans need HOPE AT HOME. EPIC is dedicated to working towards this goal for as many families as possible. In the next weeks EPIC will post descriptions of this work.
1.14.21 – La Buena Tierra’s New Scholarships and Supplies
While the US is in turmoil, all EPIC program partners are starting a new year of activities. These are modified to prevent the spread of Covid. In Mexico students pre-K through 6th grade at La Buena Tierra are studying virtually via cell phones. For children without phones, the director acquired donated used phones. EPIC provided some needed scholarships and school kits for kindergarten students who could not afford them.
12.18.20 – Creciendo Juntos Enjoys Sancocho
Growing Together ( Creciendo Juntos) organizes a communitarian stew (sancocho) on the street for families, adults, the elders, and children. Everyone brings something to share: a potato, a tomato, a carrot, some noodles. They are putting it inside of the pots...Mothers and teens take care of food. The community shares and organizes. They make a line up with their plates and spoons.
12.8.20 – Colorado Gives Day
EPIC is proud to be based in the beautiful state of Colorado. We are encouraging our members to give together on December 8th, 2020. ColoradoGives.org is a year-round, online giving tool featuring the missions, programs and finances of almost 3000 Colorado nonprofits.
12.2.20 – Celebrate #GivingTuesday
Join with our program partners in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador as they respond to the devastation caused by catastrophic hurricanes, Eta and Iota, that struck Central America within two weeks. #GivingTuesday
2020 Annual Report: Food Security
In addition to distributing food, EPIC’s program partners are promoting vegetable gardens. Soacha is a very poor community outside Bogotá, Colombia, where people fleeing violence have settled. Most residents depend on day labor and are food insecure.
2020 Annual Report: Nutritious Food For Families
La Semilla del Progreso in Honduras began an agro-salud program (agriculturally-based health education) for groups of women in 3 communities. Activities are emphasizing nutrition education and home gardens and there are 50 families participating. The cooking classes use the nutritious food the women are growing, with food preparation safety and family hygiene included.
Goals For Kids
At the end of the school year (November in Guatemala), they celebrated a field day with soccer, fun competitions, a picnic and motivational talks. Enjoy the video!
Creciendo Juntos Distributes to 130 Families
Soacha is a very poor community outside Bogotá, Colombia, where people fleeing violence have settled. Most residents depend on day labor, and without work, there is not food for the family. Creciendo Juntos, EPIC’s partner in Colombia, has now been able to do its 5th food distribution for 130 families. $12 provides food to feed a family of 5-6 members for a week!
EPIC’s 43rd Annual General Meeting – August 1st, 2020
Join us for the EPIC’s 43rd Annual General Meeting on August 1st, 2020. We will be gathering on Zoom at 9:00 am (Mountain Time). We are excited to share inspiring stories from the projects and our hopes for the coming year.
Reforestation Work Continues in Guatemala
EPIC's reforestation work continues in spite of COVID! During June the Baja Verapaz program distributed 12,000 trees for reforestation in 15 communities.
COVID-19: May Updates
EPIC’s agricultural programs are working in water conservation and soil preparation during social distancing. Participants of La Semilla in Honduras captured water from 2 springs and constructed a large water reservoir in a region very prone to drought. No more than 5 persons dug at a time.
Water Conservation in Honduras
EPIC’s agricultural programs are working in water conservation and soil preparation during social distancing. Participants of La Semilla in Honduras captured water from 2 springs and constructed a large water reservoir in a region very prone to drought. No more than 5 persons dug at a time.
Celebrating 2020 International Women’s Day
To the women directing the programs receiving EPIC support - we congratulate you on International Woman's Day! Health Education for Youth in Honduras, Mujeres en Acción in Guatemala, Baja Verapaz Health Education in Guatemala, Goals for Kids in Guatemala, Huatecalco Preschool & Kindergarten in Mexico, La Buena Tierra in Mexico, Fundación Sergio Méndez Arceo in Mexico, Creciendo Juntos in Colombia
COVID-19: Updates
Dear EPIC supporters, This is a country by country report of what EPIC programs are doing in response to the CORONAVIRUS. Dear EPIC supporters, This is a country by country report of what EPIC programs are doing in response to the CORONAVIRUS. El Salvador: On March 28th, APRODEHNI staff, accompanying public health workers, began distribution of soap, alcohol gel, masks and information on the prevention of COVID-19. EPIC provided major support for these needed safety materials.
Huatecalco Preschool and Kindergarten – MEXICO
This new Preschool and Kindergarten in Huatecalco, Mexico, was been started by EPIC’s Mexican partner La Buena Tierra. La Buena Tierra’s director Elizabeth Marroquin and others of the school’s staff got acquainted with the town of Huatecalco in the state of Morelos as a result of the Mexican earthquake on Sept. 10, 2018.
An EPIC Response to COVID-19
I am thankful that EPIC has fantastic program partners who want to respond to this pandemic which is descending upon Guatemala. In analyzing what they could contribute, program staff thought education was most needed.