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| Donate - Nutrition |
Rosaria and her husband moved to Phoenix from Mexico. With their two small children, they settled happily into their new trailer court, within sight of the Fowler School District. The trailer is rented and doesn’t have an air conditioner or heater. The water heater is finicky, and decides to go on strike occasionally. Their living space is cramped and their two youngsters grow larger by the day.
While this may not be comfortable for most Americans, their new home and life provides a higher quality of life than they’ve had before. But, there are downsides. Rosaria’s husband is a day-laborer. Rosaria’s budget for food and other basic household items fluctuates with her husband’s luck in securing work. The fruits and vegetables she’d like to feed her family are far more expensive than the sugary and salty treats they crave. She doesn’t always have the money to make the more nutritious choice
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When Rosaria took her boys to Fowler for enrollment, she learned about a community health project. Esperança arranges quarterly meetings with parents to discuss health and other social issues. At each meeting, simple, donated prizes are raffled to entice participation. At her third meeting, she entered her name in the drawing. Luck was on her side – she won the grand prize! The prize contained bags of rice and beans, fresh fruits and vegetables, cooking oil, dish soap and information on Esperança’s other community health programs. |
The next week, Rosaria showed up for the community walking group. Soon enough, she was sharing her recipe ideas with neighbors while walking and socializing. Rosaria and eleven other women enrolled in an Esperança-sponsored nutrition class the next semester. Her boys maintain a healthy weight and regularly eat fruits and vegetables. Our nutrition programs abroad encourage community gardening and breastfeeding. |
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