The Covid-19 has heavily struck our community. The crisis is having financial, psychological, and social consequences.
CEPIA has been providing assistance in each of those areas. We heartily thank our donors, staff, professionals, volunteers and all the organizations that have worked with us during these difficult times.
CEPIA would like to share the words of Yamileth Gutiérrez Matarrita, one of the beneficiaries of the donation of essential goods:
This help is a huge blessing, since next Monday, Estefany (her daughter) is scheduled for an open-heart operation. Going to San José always means expenses and I was worried because my husband is only working 3 days a week due to the Covid19 crisis. Thanks to all the products you brought us, we won’t be spending any money on food. My parents are also living with us so this is a great help for us. Thank you
These are the meaningful words of our new volunteer Mainor:
For some time I have wanted to belong to a foundation that helps families in need. Although now I am unemployed, I love seeing people’s smile and joy when they realize that they are not alone in these difficult times. I am proud to represent CEPIA and I will do it as long as I can.
Thanks to our volunteer Marcel from Shaka Media for showing CEPIA´s hard work during Covid-19
| Essential Goods Delivered | |||
| April | May | Totals | |
| Packages delivered | 556 | 1621 | 2177 |
| Families assisted | 488 | 1601 | 2089 |
| People assisted | 1763 | 4892 | 6655 |
We thank our partners’ support:
- ADI Tamarindo donated 4500 kg of rice for the food packages
- Together for Guanacaste: 50 packages were delivered from Automercado and 35 from Reserva Conchal
- Surgeons of Hope Foundation delivered packages for 16 boys and girls who are patients of the Children’s Hospital living in Guanacaste.
- Reserva Conchal delivered packages for 26 boys and girls with disabilities who are part of CEPIA’s program.
- Help your Paradise supported the distribution of 200 packages in the Paraíso-Pargos area.
- Dogs also received help: Thanks to the veterinarian Gilberth Cavallini for the donation of 70 dog food packages.
- Also, thanks to NUTRIVIDA that provided nutritional products at cost.
Data Analysis of the families who received our packages:
NATIONALITY: 82% of the beneficiaries are Costa Ricans and the rest are foreigners. 14% of the immigrants have residency, 4% are refugees and only 3% are in an irregular migratory condition.
HEALTH STATUS: In 53% families no one presents illnesses and in 47% there is a member with a chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension.
The following graphic shows the places where the people who received the food packages, live.
These two graphics show the job status of the people who received our packages. 57% of the beneficiaries indicate that they are working informally and 43% do it formally:
59% of those who have a formal job work in the hospitality industry. On the other side, 32% of those who have an informal job, clean houses.
Emotional assistance during the crisis
The psychology department has worked intensively during this crisis. Numbers speak for themselves:
- 418 people have asked for psychological help (399 women and 19 men).
- 152 appointments given.
- 2 sessions through telepsychology.
Our studies show that 37% of them had depressive symptoms, 35% report insomnia or some other sleep disorder, 18% irritability, and 10% with suicidal thoughts.
Where do they live? 18% in El Llano, 15% in Huacas, 10% in Cartagena, 8% in Villarreal, 8% in Hatillo, 6% in Garita, Brasilito, Bejuco and 18% in other places.
We should point out that during the quarantine, cases of domestic violence have increased. 24% of the patients are suffering patrimonial violence from their partner, who sometimes denies them food and even receive threats to leave the house, 13% indicate verbal violence and 1% physical violence.
CEPIA appreciates the efforts made by the psychology department, an interdisciplinary team with social workers. We also appreciate the help of the Psychologist Karla Chavarría Gómez. It is worth mentioning the efforts articulated with Abriendo Mentes for the well-being of the physical and mental health of some of patients.
THANK YOU’S
We are pleased to share that the McNulty Foundation, in partnership with the Aspen Global Leadership Network, has awarded a $5,000 grant to CEPIA from the Global Response Fund. This money is currently being used to deliver essential good packages and offer psychological support to families in need.
We thank Bryan Nuñez, our coordinator during April and May, who gave all his efforts in this difficult task. We welcome Sio Guie who is in charge of this project as from June.
Thanks to our board members Simona Daniele, Laetitia Deweer, Courtney Borquet, Martin Salerno, Wenceslao Mendioroz, and staff Maria Jose Cappa, Karla Marin, Eleana Alcocer, Cesar Abarca, Priscilla Arias and Selvia Ortiz, for their work on the first line of this crisis.
CEPIA thanks its beloved volunteers:
Alice Palma, Monica Duffy, Ann Du, Emma Vandeven, Rachael Kershaw y Greivin Quiros, Mileidy Ruiz & Lorena Bustos, Doris Fischer, Patricia Retana, Ben Deweer, Jogi Juergen Gerner y Verena Moshammer, Petra Shoep, Luciano Leao, Melina d Alolio y Santiago Beneyto, Javier Alvarez Dimas, Laura Moshammer y Nicola Sassi, Claudia Dina, Melanie Posthuma y Craig Smith, Marcela Porras, Kelle Rich, Estiben Todd Dane, Kristina Namolovan, Yury Alvarez & Maya Inbari , Maria Jose Barquero, Camila Barquero y Javier Ruiz, Greivin Valerin, Carmen Jiménez, Idit Adler, Enis Davis-Lewars y Craig Lewars, Greg Hadden, Mainor Velas B, Cindy Contreras, Chris y Melodie Javogue, Duilio Espinoza Villafuerte, Jodi Gallant, Sylvia Gutiérrez Sánchez, Andrea Mena, Brett & Tatyana Gartner, Argerie Campos, Eliana Obando Bustos, Angie Arierta Gómez, Diana Sánchez, Rosa Argentina Cardenal, Victoria Obando Villalobos, Nayeli Marchena Ruiz, James Valerin, Mirna Obando Bustos, Bru, Brayner Vindas Soto, Grettel Chavarria Mendoza, Nadereh Tadjik, Rigo Rosales, Jonal Santanta, Sharon Cole, Alirio Graterol, Manuel Jimenez Matarrita, Rebecca Taylor, Claudia Verónica Alfaro, Javier Álvarez, Esther Mustad, Kerri Blateri, Amy Coston & Gino Fernandez, Teresa Okecki y Dimitri, Yerlin Rosales López y Rebeca Rosales López, Roberto Sibaja y Carlos Cardenas, Craig Moore y Linda Martinussen, Gigliola Salvucci y Paolo Ricci, Lindsey Lefkow, Wences Mendioroz, Martin Salerno, Yves Deweer, Matt Goldberg, Pablo Gutierrez y Julie Mazureau, Joyce Van Vooren, Margarita Elizondo, Maria Sabatto y Tomas King, Nicole Rodriguez, Sebastian y Marcela Gutierrez, Martin Russo, Jorge Ruiz Gomez, Sio Guie, Olivia y Fabio, Justin McCarter, Marco Bedino, Erick Atkinson y Evelyn Massarelli, Erick Wiessel y Carolina Murrillo, Gabriela Valenzuela, Natalia Gallego, Miguel Angel Calderon, Nataly Arroyo Calvo, Eduardo Vargas, Lock Cooper, Curtis & Joanne Peart, Rafa Sandoval, Leyden Briceno, Naomi Rappaport, Kathleen Bowen, Paola Alvarado Freer, Melanie Engel, Natalia Cejas Ferrando, Maya Kaplan, Maria Peres, Jennifer Cerdas, Jose Luis Lopez Garrido, Tania Mojica, Angelo Dinarte, Tom Wilson, Karla Leiva, Catherine Maucourant, Katherine Mora, Gisella Rosales, Lizette Contreras, Victoria Obando, Cindy Chavarría Umaña, Eliana Obando, Valeria Acuña, Sharon Cole Darwin Akin, Duilio Espinoza Villafuerte, Doris Fischer, Yury y Maya, Miguel y Gig, Emma Van de Ven y Adriana Avila, Rigo y Gaëlle, Adrian y Josue, Fabio y Olivia, Justin y Patricia, Marco y Angelo, Tony y Yeison, Jaume y Chan, Matteo y Tommaso Gallo, Tomas King y Mike, Jess Beers y Jonathan, Nataly Arroyo y acompañante de DINADECO, Natalia Gallego, Xiomara Cruz, Rafa Sandoval, Laura y Verena Moshammer, Gigliola Salvucci y Paolo Ricci, Leo Pinero.
Big thank to our sponsors!
We raised $171,5890 during the crisis but we had to spend already $194,268.
Your helps makes the difference.
Agradecemos a nuestros donantes
Bart Van Vooren
Peter Vits
Bella Vida
Surgeons of Hope Foundation
Richard Duron
Desarrollo y construcciones Alfa
Gecom Belgium
Familie Ruysschaert
Rocket Man
Eva Sabbe
Brandon Powell
We also thank the following donors during this crisis:
Gaynor Reader, Andrea Tese, Jepson West, Stephane Boivin, Marys Bakker, Alejandra Benavides, Valerie Rey, Patrick Rey, Gustavo Saenz, Leonel Quiros, Ado Barrantes, Adriana Rojas, Eduardo Morales, Joan Demeyen, Diego Gonzalez, Stefan Wille, Nicholas Aron, Marcelo Justo Alfonso, Alli Wanamaker, Jose Arnaldo, Laula Millet, Staton Houston, Tamarindo Coffee Roasters, Mauricio Antonio, Fernando Alvarez, Fernando Alberto, Rick Wallace, Joel William, Familia Cornejo, Cinthia Duran, Luis Ruenes, Daniela Jimenez, Maria Victoria, Cathy Maucourant, Marce Zoch, Luciano Lea, Eveline Gschwend, Val Pierre Genton, Brian Bratton, Gloria Barajas, Christine Parrott, Catherine Thompson, Eveline Gschwend, Bruce Reinhart, Josianne Tremblay, Wendy Twardzik, Jan Johnson, David Kiefner, Valeria Kelly, Bie Van Vooren, Jan Johnson, Soo Yeon Lee, David Delgado, Michael Wang, Gilles Dellaert, Debbi Brock, Luc Aalmans, Carrie Babyak, Eveline Gschwend, Brian Bratton, Vincent Herbert, George Stoms, Victoria Collins, Gloria Barajas, GIllian Mckenzie, Catherine Thompson, Kenyon Weaver, Jepson West, Fabio Rutili, Asheley Farland, Colleen Sullivan, Robert Friedenson, Susan Kellerinve, Christine Parrott, Iris Saxer, Jorge Alers, The bookstore of the Waves, Huyghe Marjolein, Bernard Rossel, Francine Van Belleghem, Jill Van Vooren, Cannie Jean-Marie, Studios V O F, Frederic Stadsbader, Koen Wauters, Jannes Vercaemst, Engels B&E, Elne Consult , Ligna Recta, High Tech Travel, Clockwork, Tim Bulcke, Guy Mortreu, Dorine Tanghe, Eric Besombes, Olivia Kehl, Kevin Moorhead, Kelly Etter, Amanda Melin, Sockfeet Music, Carla Rowlings, Urban Bodyworks LLC, Melissa Grani y Mary Phillips.
FOTOS By Sylvia Gutierrez
