Southern Cross Humanitarian: Drop-In Centers

Drop-In Centers - Serving 350+ Children

Urban Drop-In Centers
Drop-in centers are sites strategically placed, in cooperation with local municipalities, in urban settings where children can "drop in" for a meal, a bath, clean clothes, help, and a place of belonging. Drop-in centers are "feeders" for our orphanages and a source for us to find children who are truly homeless, orphaned, or abandoned. We have volunteers to help the children improve their English and do their school work. For information and the opportunity to sponsor drop-in centers, please go to: Sponsor-A-Child

Colombia:

Espinal Drop-in Center, Espinal, Colombia
Southern Cross Humanitarian, in conjunction with the city of Espinal, in the state of Tolima, Colombia, inaugurated it's first Colombian Drop-in Center in November of 2007. Serving 110 children, open 6 days a week, the center is run by Colombian Board Member Luz "Mery" Gutierrez, and is staffed by volunteers from a local foundation called DANAVE. Food, shelter, washing facilities as well as psychological, emotional and nutritional care are provided with great care and efficiency.

Espinal Drop-In Center

Mariquita Drop-In Center, Tolima, Colombia
San Sebastion de Mariquita is situated in the heart of Colombia, to the north of Tolima. The principal economical activities are agriculture, cattle breeding and commerce and the people have hearts of gold. This center used to be the major's office and comes equipped with a small library, medical office, and recreation area including a full kitchen. The people welcomed SXHU with open arms and are excited to partner with an American NGO to facilitate helping their children in need. Currently over 120 children are registered in Mariquita.

mariquita drop in center image

Palocabildo Drop-In Center, Tolima, Colombia
Palocabildo is a beautiful town and municipality in the Tolima department of Colombia situated atop fields American's associate with "Juan Valdez" and coffee plantations. Palocabildo has seen it's share of political strife in it's past, but today it's eyes look to the future. Our new home feeds almost 100 children and will soon have additional social services to facilitate emotional needs as well.

palocabilido drop in center image

Turbaco Drop-in Center, Cartagenga, Colombia
SXHU in conjunction with local community members, LDS church members, and municipality pay for lunch 3 times per week at this site. As many as 190 children come every day and average 150 kids daily for breakfast. The center is open MTWTH and Saturday, so the children don't go 2 days in a row hungry.If we can get a sponsor for this home, even $250 per month times 2 persons, we can increase lunch and/or add 1 more day of breakfast with an occasional egg or fruit. Alicia (Director for the center) says that once the word is out that breakfast is every day, the number will increase to nearly the full 278 we are able to register.

Kids at Turbaco Drop-In Center

Children of the Turbaco Center

Turbaco, Cartagena Drop-in Center volunteers
Left to Right - Heidi, Teresa, Alicia, Mercedes, and Rosali

Peru:

Resbaloza Drop-In Center, Cusco, Peru
Currently, 90 children are registered at the SXHU sponsored Resbaloza Center in Cusco, Peru. Most children come into the center daily, before or after their school sessions, for tutoring, meals, facilities to wash and for a place of refuge. We provide school uniforms, enabling all children to receive an education.

Tupac Amaru Drop-In Center, San Sebastian, Cusco, Peru
Tupac Amaru is named after the last indigenous leader of the Inca state of Peru. Located in southern Cusco, this center opened March 1, 2008 and has the capacity to feed nearly 100 transient and impoverished children two meals daily. With your help, we hope to increase our ability to help these children by remodeling this building to include showers, laundry facilities and personnel to register all the children in school and provide tutoring and social services to help each child become self-sufficient.