In 2006, the Families at the Dump mission was formed with the objective: "to provide physical, educational, medical, spiritual and emotional support to the families living in the landfill or garbage dump in Puerto Vallarta or surrounding areas."

In 2006, the mission discovered that whole families were living and working in the city dump overlooking the resort of Puerto Vallarta, in Mexico.  They knew of no other way of life as some families had been living there for many generations.  Their children were not registered and were not able to obtain birth certificates as they had no official address, so the children could not go to school.  Their futures were bleak.

The mission project started by bringing water, food and clothing. The mission named the road at the base of the dump "Hope Road", assigned each home an address and got the children registered so they could go to school.  Today in 2010, all of our "Families of Hope" no longer live in the dump itself!  Read More...

Thanks to the generous sponsorship and donations from our supporters, the children attend daycare, preschool and public school, learn computers and English and through our homework assistance program our first two high school graduates have entered university.  Regular medical treatment is provided. Soccer teams were organized and participation is enthusiastic.

While many adults have continued to work in the city garbage dump as registered self-employed "recyclers", microloans to start up businesses are being made available to those wanting to expand their horizons. Several of the women have started up their own businesses and are doing well.  Read More.....

(Do not click on Youtube popups in video or viewing will be interrupted)

Video taken at Children's Day Celebration 2010, attended by over 400 children and adults.  Thank you to the Alaskan Airline Employees for the fantastic day!


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