News

CORAZON DE VIDA :: KEEPING HOPE ALIVE DURING THE QUARANTINE Posted on 5 Jun 11:54 , 0 comments

As we continue to adapt to the changes in our lives during the quarantine, life inside our supported orphanages is no different. The children are adjusting between online schooling and afternoon activities to keep them busy. Orphanage directors are doing their best to overcome the challenges brought by the pandemic and are making sure that above all, everyone at the home remains healthy.


The children continue their online classes for the remainder of the school year which ends July 17th. The orphanages are coordinating the best that they can to ensure each child is provided with learning tools. Due to minimal computer access, it's been a challenge to provide each student with the screen time they need to complete their assigned tasks but orphanage staff is making it happen.

The children of Casa de La Esperanza orphanage have been talking about how much they would like to have a farm for a while, so they used the free time they had due to the quarantine to make it happen. They finished putting together a barn where they already welcomed three sheep and two goats. The children are pouring so much love and care into tending for the animals!


After the barn was complete, they moved onto another project; a chicken coop and an area for bunnies! Children of all ages are involved in this project. The younger ones help to gather and count fresh eggs for the home. Daily chores are a good way to introduce structure into a child’s routine in a way that can be fun since they’re taking care of a pet. It teaches them about contributing to the household, too.


With your support, we can continue to improve the quality of life for hundreds of orphaned and abandoned children. Together, we have the power to ensure that the Corazon de Vida kids feel safe and secure knowing that we care and will be there for them during these difficult times.

Please support our online fundraising “COVID-19 CONTINGENCY FUND” campaign HERE


CORAZON DE VIDA :: IT TAKES A VILLAGE, BUT TOGETHER WE CAN SPREAD LOVE Posted on 14 Feb 08:40 , 0 comments

My name is Araceli and I’m a speech-language pathologist. I was born in Guadalajara, Mexico and I came to the United States when I was 8 years old. During one of my trips to visit family in Guadalajara, I had the opportunity of volunteering at an orphanage. I didn’t know then, that this trip would change my life. After I came home, I couldn’t stop thinking about the children and how little support there is for people with disabilities in Mexico.

So in November 2012, I developed Speaking from the Heart (SFTH), a program designed to provide special education services to children residing in orphanages sponsored by Corazon de Vida. Since SFTH was founded, we have taken over 30 trips to work with children residing in 4 orphanages, hosted donation drives, and provided specialized instruction to over 50 children/young adults. In addition, we started training teachers in special education, and we are hopeful that this will help the children feel supported and understood.

Developing this program was a big undertaking, but I never felt alone, and for that I am very grateful. The moment I shared my vision with others, the support came pouring in and it hasn’t stopped since. This started as an idea, and it has turned into a community of compassionate and loving people who want to make a difference. I started SFTH to empower children to use their voice and to teach them to advocate for themselves, and this continues to be our vision, however, the children have taught us so much over the past 7 years. These beautiful children show us over and over what it means to be resilient, loving, and accepting of others. Their love towards each other and acts of kindness are a testament to all the work and effort of the volunteers, caregivers, directors, and Corazon de Vida. It takes a village, but together we can spread love!


CORAZON DE VIDA :: HELP ORPHANED AND ABANDONED CHILDREN GO FROM VICTIMS  TO EMPOWERED FUTURE LEADERS. Posted on 21 Aug 11:51 , 0 comments

 Supporting the k-12 education needs for children in the orphanage system and continuing education through college or technical school once they age out of the system is key helping them break the cycle of poverty and abandonment and providing the opportunity to create a better future for themselves, their families and their community.

Corazon de Vida’s Back to School campaign covers tuition, uniforms, backpacks, school supplies and transportation costs for over 500 students from kinder to university. All Baja public schools require uniforms, which is good because orphanage students do not look different than any other students. CDV’s education program provides scholarship-based funding for teens aging out of the orphanage system and it includes funding for inscriptions, tuitions, housing, living expenses and transportation, all depending on each student’s situation.




Corazon de Vida started its Continuing Education Program with 3 students who entered university in the 2011/ 2012 school year. Currently, 45 past orphanage residents are in college or technical school in Baja, with 15 that have graduated with a bachelor’s degree in majors such as accounting, psychology, education, culinary, medicine, nursing and business. CDV Alumni are now serving as role models to their younger ‘siblings’ at the orphanages!

Together, we can help our children go from victims to empowered future leaders! Help us transform their lives by making a donation to our Back to School campaign HERE

You could also help our children have everything they need for a successful school year by donating any of the Back to School items in our Amazon Wishlist

 

 


CORAZON DE VIDA :: ANNUAL CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT Posted on 1 May 12:24 , 0 comments

On April 25th, Corazon de Vida held its annual Charity Golf Tournament as part of its 25th anniversary celebration. The day could not have been more perfect! The sun was out and the weather was ideal as players arrived at the beautiful Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo. The blooming flowers on the course made it all the more beautiful.

Golf players had the chance to buy Super Tickets and to take pictures on our Red Carpet which proudly displayed the image of our sponsor CHILO. Delicious tacos and drinks were enjoyed by all before the Shotgun start.



Guest grabbed their golf cart and made their way through the pristine hills of Mission Viejo as they played along the challenging course. Along the way, players had a chance to win a new Infiniti Q50 in our Hole-In-One event sponsored by Infiniti of Mission Viejo. The scenic golf course and the perfect weather made for an amazing time. The day was filled with laughter and fun!



After a great day on the green, the players came inside for a delicious dinner and the awards presentations. Fernando and Karen, engineering students currently in Continuing Education Program, made special appearances to talk about how CDV and all the people who have donated have changed their lives. By the end of the day, we had raised over $17,000 for our children in Baja! We would like to thank all the people who attended and donated, and all the companies that contributed with items for our raffle and silent auction. We owe the success of our event to each one of you!

We would also like to recognize our Golf Sponsor CHILO, Tee Sponsors: Travel to Go, Mako Equipment, Delorfa Services, A New View, SSP insurance Services, La Salle Solutions LLC, Savills, Ortega’s, Graceland Hospice and Califoam Products; and a heartfelt thank you to our Committee members Dan and Gina Streit, Juan Pacheco and George Perez for helping to organize the event, secure sponsors, obtaining donors and more. 

Huge shout-out to our amazing Taco Station team for the delicious tacos!



To our staff and volunteers, thank you for your hard work and dedication to make our golf tournament amazing.

Click HERE for the gallery of photos!


CORAZON DE VIDA :: CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF CHANGING LIVES WITH THE HEART Posted on 27 Mar 10:36 , 0 comments

 

 

25 years ago, Corazon de Vida first opened its heart to making a difference in the lives of hundreds of orphaned and abandoned children in Baja, Mexico. It all started with one orphanage, Puerta de Fe, and grew into providing funds and support for 9 more. Over the years we have seen children walk into these orphanages uncertain about their future and have seen that uncertainty transformed into hope when provided the opportunity to live in a safe and nurturing environment. Our mission started with one special woman who knew she wanted to make a difference, our founder Hilda Pacheco-Taylor.

 Hilda grew up at Puerta de Fe Orphanage, the place that gave her and her siblings a place to call home. Years after she left the orphanage, Hilda went back to visit and found that the orphanage had lost most of their financial support and was no longer able to sustain the children that were living there. From that day forward, she became determined to give those kids the same opportunities she was provided, and this is where Corazon de Vida’s mission of ending the cycle of poverty, homelessness and abandonment first started.

 It is hard to believe that within just a few hours from our California/Mexico border there are people living drastically different lives. It is estimated that there are more than 6,000 kids living in the streets in Baja. Since day one, we have seen a community come together in an effort to provide a better life for the children. There are so many beautiful stories of people practicing compassion and generosity in support of the children: supporters asking for donations instead of presents for their weddings or birthdays, corporate sponsors raising funds and awareness through their products and services, children hosting bake sales, working lemonade stands, and forming high school clubs, athletes running marathons and Ironman events, volunteers joining our trips every month and forming beautiful bonds with the children, and so much more! It may take a village to raise a child but when a whole community comes together, we are able to truly make a lasting impact that sends ripples of change across the border.


With the support of our donors, sponsors, chapters and volunteers, CDV has raised over $13 million in the last 25 years for the everyday needs of the orphanages – food, water, utilities, and for special projects such as facility repairs, construction and upgrades, medical and dental services and more. Knowing that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty, homelessness and abandonment, a focus on funding education has been a pivotal program for us throughout the years. In 2012, we started funding college and technical school for teens aging out of the orphanage system and to date, twenty students have graduated, forty students are actively attending school and ten students are set to start university this next fall and spring!



CDV is more committed than ever to continuing with our mission. We are profoundly devoted to helping more children and making a bigger impact in their lives. Our journey has only just begun and we know that with our wonderful supporters by our side, we will be able to bring hope and keep transforming the lives of many more children.

We cannot wait to see what these next 25 years have in store for us!


CORAZON DE VIDA :: GIVE LOVE ON YOUR BIRTHDAY WITH FACEBOOK FUNDRASING Posted on 14 Mar 16:26 , 0 comments

Birthdays are much more than gifts. They are all about the overwhelming feeling of love you can receive.

And there is a new and effective way to share that love on your special day! The social media platform that you use to keep in touch with relatives, old high school classmates and watch funny videos can also be used for something far greater. Social media users are utilizing the power of Facebook as a means to engage friends and family to participate in birthday fundraisers in support of their favorite causes.

Our mantra has always been GIVE LOVE. And in a simple and effective way YOU can do it too.



FACEBOOK has become a powerful tool to raise funds and it’s simple yet so impactful to so many lives. Orphaned and abandoned children in Baja live thinking that perhaps they aren’t worthy of love. You can show them differently.

It’s easy! Just follow these six simple steps:

1) Go to your Facebook account

2) Go to your 'home' page, and look on the left side column. You should see the 'fundraiser' option under "Create" at the bottom. Select on "fundraiser" and Facebook will guide you through.



3) Select Corazon de Vida Foundation as the non-profit you would like to support.



4) Set your time frame and your fundraising goal. Remember no set dollar amount is too small to make a change in our children’s lives!



5) Invite your Facebook friends and family to participate in your birthday fundraiser! Inviting others is truly essential to reach your goal. And don’t blame yourself if someone is unable or unwilling to contribute, you are creating awareness of the need and that also counts! Continue sharing for all your friends to see, as others may have missed the opportunity to help you reach your goal!



6) Thank those who contribute to your fundraiser and have fun!

Corazon de Vida appreciates and thanks you for giving back the gift of love on your birthday. You are truly extraordinary.

You may not change the world, but you can change the world of one child in need.


CORAZON DE VIDA :: NOCHE DE GALA 2018 Posted on 12 Nov 13:00 , 0 comments

Noche de Gala was nothing short of a resounding success! Corazon de Vida and the San Diego Chapter held its annual fundraising event at the beautiful Coronado Island Marriott on November 3rd, 2018. The event was made more enchanting by the enthusiasm of the guests who came together in support of the children and with everyone’s wonderful and generous participation we were able to raise over $120,000!

 

 

Nearly 300 guests took in the beautiful panoramic view of downtown San Diego while enjoying delicious tastings of Baja wines and artisan mezcals. The silent auction was amazing and included many prizes like exotic vacations, unforgettable experiences and much more. It was exciting to see so many new faces at the event that were eager to learn more about Corazon de Vida.

 

The evening's program was led by Tim Altbaum as Master of Ceremonies and included heartwarming presentations that our guests enjoyed over a candle-lit dinner. Founder Hilda Pacheco-Taylor called university students up on stage during her presentation. It was a very emotional moment for everyone in the room. Their stories of overcoming adversity and their noteworthy academic achievements brought to life the meaning of our cause, and serve as inspiration and hope for the future of hundreds of children living at the orphanages supported by CDV.

 

 

This event was made possible thanks to our generous sponsors: Aeromexico, Bird Rock Systems and Warren & Burstein. Thank you to product sponsors Casta Tribal Mezcal and Baja United Wines for sponsoring the tastings, Harumi Takata​ and Harumi Takata Floral Designs for the beautiful floral arrangements, Ortega’s A Mexican Bistro for donating the food and refreshments for our volunteers, and to all the companies and individuals that contributed items to our silent auction.

 

We’d like to thank our incredible San Diego Chapter for your hard work, your love of the children and unwavering commitment to our cause as well as give special recognition and thanks to Noche de Gala’s Host Committee: Carolina and Larry Katz, Carrin and Michael Goldstein, Mayra and James Matteo, Mandy and Devin Burstein, Debra and Larry Poteet, Tami and Bill Sandke and Lisa and James Littman.

 

And finally, we would like to thank our wonderful and hardworking Volunteer Committee and volunteers, your presence and support is what made Noche de Gala so special!

Visit our GALLERY to view all the photos of the evening


CORAZON DE VIDA :: LA NOCHE BLANCA 2018 Posted on 27 Jul 13:49 , 0 comments

La Noche Blanca 2018 had an overwhelmingly successful outcome this year! Corazon de Vida hosted the all-white fundraising gala on July 21, 2018 at the serene and breathtakingly beautiful Santiago Vineyards in Orange County. The evening began as guests arrived in their beautiful summer whites and were greeted with smiling faces. At the reception, they enjoyed delicious tastings of Mezcal sponsored by Casta Tribal and the best wines from the Baja, Mexico region sponsored by CDV Mission partner, Baja United. As everyone settled in their seats for a delightful dinner, they were surprised with a serenade by Mariachi Nueva Generacion.

Excitement grew throughout the evening as the attendees checked out the many impressive silent auction items available. There were items such as culinary experiences, incredible vacation stays, and so much more! There was also a lot of eagerness revolving around the highly-anticipated live auction that included incredible items like a trip to Fiji, a full day on a luxury speedboat, a stay at a beautiful villa in Cabo, and a VIP experience with a racing team.

The evening's program was led by Bob Miller who was the Master of Ceremonies. He introduced our founder, Hilda Pacheco- Taylor, and some of the university students that have gone through Corazon de Vida’s program. The students gave heartwarming testimonials about how drastically Corazon de Vida has impacted their lives - there was not one dry eye in the crowd. Their inspiring words touched the attendees’ hearts and reminded us that everything we do to help the kids and students really does make a difference.

Thanks to everyone’s participation, generous bidding and big-hearted donations, we were able to break our fundraising records and raised over $220,000 in support of the children! Thanks to your endless support, this year’s Noche Blanca exceeded all expectations!

We would also like to give a very special thank you to all of the amazing companies and individuals that helped make our event successful: Apogee Electronics for generously sponsoring our event and for their unwavering, long-standing support. To Bob Miller for being an incredible Master of Ceremonies, to our amazing Host Committee for working very hard for months to help make our event a success: Emilia and Darren Sugiyama, Alex Dastmalchi, Parisa and Chuck Horning, Andrea Bittick, Angelina and Quan Ha, Sonya Bella, Shannon and Mike Mancini, Setareh and Majid Kashanian, and Todd Vande Hei. Thank you to Casta Tribal Mezcal and Baja United for sponsoring the tastings.  Harumi Takata​ and Harumi Takata Floral Designs for the beautiful floral arrangements.  Thank you to all the companies and individuals that contributed with product donations and to our silent auction with an item donation. 

And finally, we would like to thank our wonderful and hardworking Volunteer Committee and volunteers, your presence and support is what made La Noche Blanca 2018 so special!

Visit our GALLERY to view all the photos of the evening

 


CORAZON DE VIDA :: 2018 ANNUAL CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT Posted on 1 May 15:24 , 0 comments

On April 26th, 2018, Corazon de Vida once again held it’s annual Charity Golf Tournament at the prestigious Tijeras Creek Golf Club in Rancho Santa Margarita. After an overcast morning start, the sun made an appearance making it a picture perfect So-Cal Spring day to be out on the green!

Golfers arrived to a scene filled with positive vibes and excitement as upbeat 80’s music played in the background. Everyone was so excited to participate while the cowbell rang loudly from every purchase of our super tickets!

 Pictures were taken on the “Green Carpet” featuring our Platinum Sponsors, CHILO and Club Hombre. Before shotgun, everyone enjoyed a mouthwatering made-on-site taco lunch that included pastries, desserts, and beverages. As the golfers advanced onto the course, they had an opportunity to participate in entertaining games spread out across the field including the “Hole-In-One”, sponsored by INFINITI of Mission Viejo, and the juice bar tasting provided by Nekter Juice Bar. As the day progressed, the course was filled with laughter and cheers from the golfers, who were having photos of them taken in action!

 After a long day on the green, the golfers were able to wrap up the night with a delicious dinner and an exciting awards presentation recognizing those that participated in support of the children of Corazon de Vida. We are grateful to all that attended our tournament.

Thanks to everyone’s participation and support we were able to raise over $28,000 towards our mission!

 A very special acknowledgement to our PLATINUM sponsor Bernie Welk from the CHILO brand for his continued support of our mission. This is the fourth year Chilo has partnered with Corazon de Vida for our golf tournament. 

 This year we had a second PLATINUM sponsor by Club Hombre.  This sponsorship was generously funded by Club Hombre members Trenton Taylor and David Cox in honor of David Alexander, who was a member of the Club Hombre Baja riding team. 

 We are also grateful to our Tee Sponsors- La Salle Solutions, SSP Insurance Services, Platinum Storage Group, Ezra Drum, A New View, Judicate West, Nekter Juice Bar, Travel to Go, Baja United Group, Pacific Edge Engineering, Quandis, SST, and Southland Flooring and INFINITI of Mission Viejo.

We would like to recognize our Host Committee members for their hard work in planning this event, securing sponsorships, obtaining raffle donations and recruiting golfers: Juan Pacheco, Gina and Dan Streit, and George Perez.

We would also like to express our gratitude to the Tijeras Creek Golf Club for their support in planning and executing this event and to our silent auction and raffle donors. Also, much gratitude to CDV staff and volunteers for their tireless work making sure our tournament was a success. Our events would not be possible without your selfless dedication to our cause!

For pictures of the special day, please visit our GALLERY


CORAZON DE VIDA :: CELEBRATING NEW GRADUATES! Posted on 6 Mar 14:26 , 0 comments

HOPEsomething that can be lost or displacedIt is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. Corazon de Vida’s purpose is to give orphaned and abandoned children HOPE for a better future. 

We are proud and overjoyed to celebrate our recent graduates: Emanuel (Sports), Angie (Nursing), Eliu (Business), Griselda (Business Administration), Magaly (Teaching), Antonio (Culinary), Josue (Culinary), Marta (Cosmetology), and Saralegui (Graphic Design). 

CDV’s Executive Director, Dan Smith, organized an amazing event in Baja to honor the recent graduates from our Continuing Education Program.  Over 50 people were in attendance to recognize the accomplishments of these graduates including loved ones, donors, the directors of both Ebenezer and Door of Faith Orphanages, and the Corazon de Vida staff. After dinner, which was fully prepared by Alexia, an aspiring Chef and current student of CDV’s Continuing Education Program, each of the graduates had an opportunity to speak about their struggles and how their CDV family helped them overcome them.  Thanks to the generosity of many caring and compassionate Angels, Corazon de Vida has been able to shine the light of hope for these students, allowing them to pursue their dreams.

 

One of the graduates talked about how he had lost hope for his future, and how he believes that hope is nonexistent for kids like him. He further explained that with the support of CDV, he was able to regain the hope he had lost so many years ago which gave him the determination and drive to strive for a better future for himself and his family. He concluded his testimony thanking CDV’s Heart Angels and Mission Partners who helped him break out of the vicious cycle of poverty.

 

Every graduating student took the opportunity to express their heartfelt appreciation to all who contributed to support their education. They thanked the orphanage directors, who took them in as their own and provided a loving home and encouragement growing up. Mission partners Dan & Gina Streit and Steve & Mary Ellis were also present and were acknowledged by the students. 

CDV also welcomed Alin, an alumnus, and holder of an MD degree, to share her experience with CDV and the impact of CDV’s support in her life.  In an emotional and powerful statement, Alin personally thanked one of her CDV sponsors, John Haugland, for his support during her time in school. With tears in her eyes, she emphasized that what he believed was a mere monthly financial contribution to her education, his support was much more than that. He had given her hope and the opportunity for a better future.  With not a dry eye in the room, Alin continued by asking John what she could do to repay him for his kindness.  John’s humble and inspiring reply: “You can pay it forward”. 

 

We are also proud to announce the establishment of CDV’s Alumni Program to keep in touch with those who have graduated and continue to hear about their accomplishments.  We invite our graduates to be a part of the CDV family forever, become ambassadors for CDV, and share with other that where there is love, there is HOPE.