A Big Thank You to all Attendees Who Helped Us Raise $1,635 for Fatima ParishFor more than 50 years, the good folks at Fatima Parish have been taking care of children, passing out meals, providing job training for teenagers, and generally doing whatever they can for young people and the elderly alike in one of the poorest neighborhoods of Panama City.Fatima Parish offers before- and after-school care, vocational training workshops, a library, and a computer lab. The Parish also cares for children whose parents are unable to look after them—whether for a few months, or a few years.Right now, Fatima Parish hosts:25 full-time boys.35 full-time girls.175 kindergarten-aged kids (and younger) who attend the Fatima Parish during the day so their parents can go to work.300 infants that participate in a public eating program.…and 40 elders.Fatima Parish helps residents who, without that help, could get mixed up with local gangs, drop out of school, go hungry, get sick, or worse.Fatima Parish needs money for operating expenses, food, hygiene supplies, cleaning supplies, and school supplies (books, pencils, pens, etc.).Right now, the operating expenses for Fatima Parish run around $20,000 a month.However, the state subsidizes them to the tune of only $2,000 a month…leaving Fatima Parish $18,000 short each month in operating expenses.The only way they can make up the difference is through donations.Over the past five years, we’ve collected donations of cash and basic supplies for Fatima Parish. We run a birthday club for the full-time boys and girls, giving them treats they might otherwise miss out on—treats we take for granted, like going to a movie, and having a birthday cake.
