Hello WBC Friends,
I hope this message finds you well and I pray that you are all staying safe, and enjoying your summer.
I have lots of news from the WBC so have a seat and read all the way to the end please!
1. Save the date! After missing out in 2020 due to Covid, we will be holding our second dance to support the WBC on Saturday October 23rd at 7:00 PM. Just like last time, it will be in the Kelly Center with John Regina's amazing orchestra/band. We will be sharing more details soon but expect it to be a bigger blast than last time!
2. Summer is the worst season of the year for donations. The WBC has to pay double payroll in Aug. & Dec. per Ecuador federal law. The extra monthly payroll is $40k. So an additional $80K per year is tough enough in normal times, let alone in these trying Covid times. So now more than ever, please prayerfully consider any help you can afford by donating here or via Faith Direct. (Note that St. Gabriel's will soon be moving to a new platform to replace Faith Direct)
3. Some of you may have heard of the recent passing of Richard Brissette. As his obituary says, he was not only a passionate lifelong supporter of the WBC, but was the first to bring awareness of the WBC to St. Gabriel's. He will be missed but his legacy lives on!
4. Sadly, there are no immediate plans to open the WBC to visitors. When last I spoke with Olivia she shared this:
I'm working on a virtual program for visitors, as we weren't able to host this year. This project includes: a brief history of the Center, in-depth interviews with 4 Center families, a cultural piece, a guided conversation with a few Center members and more! I'll let you know when we are close to completion and maybe you could have a "Center Series" with the St. Gabe's community. *This could be a wonderful introduction for new patrons and a heart-grabbing moment for those who have been a part of our mission for a while + hopefully get more interest in an upcoming visit!
5. Some facts and figures from Quito and the WBC:
- Most of the WBC staff has been vaccinated.
- Ecuador's population is 17.6 million; 2 million live in Quito. So far the country's registered about 420K cases and 20K deaths.
- Vaccinations have begun; about 2 million doses have been administered, just under 6% of the total population.
- The new federal government which started May 24th has a goal of reaching 9 million doses administered in its first 6 months.
- The US State Department is still advising against travel to Ecuador for now.
- In some ways the WBC is actually much larger than it was:
- 183 regular 'member' families but an additional 153 families are associated with the 4 Early Childhood Development Centers the WBC operates under an alliance with the government.
- The 183 'regular' WBC families are 170 Ecuadoran, 11 Venezuelan and 2 Colombian. Note that the government estimates there are 500K displaced Venezuelans in Ecuador.
- After a year of Covid the typical WBC family's monthly income has dropped from $400 a month to just under $200. The income spread is $800 to $50 a month.
- The average WBC family has 5 members; 35% of families are single-parent.
- 57% of our families rent their dwellings.
6. Soon the WBC will officially change its name to "The Center - A Family of Families" with a tagline "Transforming lives since 1964." The change more accurately describes the Center's approach to empowering entire families with the wherewithal to escape generational poverty.
8. Finally, a recent WBC newsletter featured another beautiful story of the work being done at the center. I hope you enjoy reading it:
Meet Our Shining Star, Ivanna Jimenez Napa (picture below)!
Ivanna is only six years old and in third grade, but she is on an accelerated path academically. She loves to learn and her teachers have shared that Ivanna even asks for extra work to get ahead! Ivanna is a quiet, shy girl but has such a kind heart that everyone wants to be her friend. She excels in all of her classes; her favorite class last year was art with Miss Michelle. Ivanna can’t help creating art and does so in every class regardless of subject.
Although Ivanna’s oldest brother attends another school, her other two brothers have attended the WBC for six years and their one-year-old sister will soon be joining the Center’s daycare program!
I know this was a long update but hopefully useful.
God bless you and yours,
Mark
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