Last month, my family unexpectedly lost my mom. Throughout her life, she had a mission to love, support, and give. She wasn’t just committed to helping her family – she was devoted to helping those in need. Although there are many things my mom would have loved to complete in her lifetime and see first hand, there is one that can be fulfilled on her behalf. So, my family and I decided that to honor her legacy, we would create a page to raise funds to donate to her giving mission. We want to honor her legacy in the way she’d most appreciate.


In her retirement, she looked to spend her time first and foremost giving to others. She gave her time, her cooking, and her money. She always had an idea about how something could be repurposed for someone else's needs. She considered how anything, be it food, clothes, school supplies, or transportation could make a difference to an individual or a family. When the cause was even bigger than her, she gathered others to fundraise. When the cause required more than one person could offer alone, she gathered others to help raise funds. When the cause became more than a cause, it became a purpose, my mom created La Asociacion Hogar Del Adulto Mayor Santa Clara de Asis (El Hogar). She and her charitable friends are the reason this organization is in operation today. 

El Hogar is a non-profit organization serving the local community of Apia, Risaralda, my mother's hometown in Colombia. El Hogar was founded in 2005 to provide elderly men and women with an optimal quality of life through personal, emotional, social, physical, and cognitive development through the provision of physical & mental health, educational, and recreational services. At the moment El Hogar is home to 14 residents and provides a hot lunch to 36 individuals daily.  These services include (but are not limited to) conferences, workshops, and in-services on health, political, and leisure activities with a focal point on cultural acceptance/diversity, holistic health approaches, eco-friendly consuming, and human rights. El Hogar also promotes the exploration and creation of the arts, community events fostering intergenerational relations, and community outreach extending into the indigenous areas of Colombia.  Most importantly, El Hogar is the living representation of my mom’s legacy and we hope to honor her by helping her organization. 

She made it known to her loved ones that when the day came that she was no longer physically with us that in lieu of flowers, she hoped people would donate to El Hogar. This page is our way to continue her selfless acts and continue to provide the local residents with ongoing opportunities to live a fruitful life. We’re grateful for our friends and family and mostly, for our mom who taught us that a life is well lived when you serve others.