UPDATE: We will NOT be holding the fiesta in 2026, but have already rescheduled and moved our vendor deposits to December 18, 2027. You can find the active GoFundMe page for that party here: https://gofund.me/c934b4c12 - Donations have either been refunded or moved to the new party page.
Hi & hola and thanks for stopping by. Every year, a bunch of us (mostly Peruvians and a few Gringos) work together to throw a Christmas Party for around 350 kids that live about two hours outside of Lima in the town of Puente Piedra, Peru.
I've been involved in this since 2012 - every nino gets some cake, hot chocolate, a gift, a book, ice pops and candy, along with a show featuring clowns, Santa. dancing, games, and prizes. Without us, there’s no wrapped presents waiting for them on Christmas morning. It’s a great time, a fun afternoon, and it keeps both the grownups and the kids smiling for months afterwards.
Our budget for the 2026 party is US$5,936. We raise the cash mostly in the USA, but do all of our purchasing in Lima - shipping things overseas is cost prohibitive, and dollars go a lot further down in South America than they do in the states. The Peruvian members of the committee do all the hard work: shopping, wrapping, moving things back and forth, talking to local suppliers.
Last year, we hosted 370 kids from the immediate neighborhood. Some of the women from a church group and food pantry in Puente Piedra help with the local organizing and getting the word out to the kids (and their parents). We’ve been doing this in that town since 2017, and it has become a much anticipated event for these children.
How can you help? Well, the absolute best way would be for you to fly down and lend a hand at the party. Our biggest shortfall every year comes in the human resources department! Plus, there's no replacement for the feeling you get when a child looks up at you with a big, excited smile. We stay in a hotel in Miraflores: a clean, safe, modern, and walkable neighborhood. There’s plenty of tourist-y things to do in Lima, and the food there is varied and 100% delicious. I’ve been going to Peru for a long time now, and love to share what I've learned in reference to housing, flights, and most importantly – restaurants. Just drop me a note here by using the CONTACT button below.
The second best way to help is: donate some cash. People have been generous enough to support this fiesta over the years, but we've grown, and so has our budget. We accept donations here on Go Fund Me, and we’re also set up on just about every money transfer platform… write me for details. Also, we’d love if you could tell your friends (share! share! share!) about us.
If you have any questions about the party, or what we do with the money, feel free to reach out – we're an open book. Thanks for reading this, and if you feel like donating, thanks for that, too! Regardless, please share this page with your friends – THANKS. Scroll through the pictures from last year's event on the top of this post to see some of the highlights.
