The project started in 2005 in Paraguay. It consists of providing milk to homes or shelters for children of limited means. The milk is secured through “sponsors.” At the present time, 170 children from different institutions are benefiting.
The project came forth as an apostolate of a family group from the Families Branch in Paraguay. It consists in providing liquid or powdered milk to homes or shelters for poor children who had been previously selected following certain criteria. It takes place through the voluntary contributions of a web of providers or “milk sponsors.”
Milk providers
The collaborators of this project are milk providers. They become a part of the web of Providers or milk Sponsors through a monthly contribution for a determined period of time. A couple from the group or external collaborators that is, other couples or volunteers, whether or not they belong to the Movement coordinated the project. These persons take care of collecting contributions, delivering, taking inventory, and marketing.
Each provider contributes monthly the equivalent of 12 liters of milk as a minimum. Donations accepted include: two 800 gram containers of powdered milk or a case of liquid milk in cartons. The sponsors pledge their contribution through a signed agreement for a determined period of time, that is, a trimester, a semester, or one year. This helps to have a secure program of milk provisions monthly, and in this way they are able to confirm the commitments to the children’s homes – at the present time there are four – with very poor, abandoned or orphaned children.
The provision to a determined home will take place until they can provide 60 % of the needed monthly amount that is considered completely stocked by this program. This condition will make room to benefit the next home for previously selected children.
They will not be able to cover the existing needs of Children’s Homes in Paraguay, but it at least makes it possible to cover the needs of some of them.
Under the slogan “For you…is this glass of milk half full or half empty?” The process for searching for “sponsors” began, knowing that for many it is probably always half full. But for the poor children, for the majority of the year, it is half empty. The idea is to help their milk glasses be always half full…contributing so that more Paraguayan children who live in poverty receive a daily glass of milk. Donating a case of milk or a kilo of powdered milk probably will not alter the economy, but it will surely change the life of a needy growing child.
Love is action and creativity, and the Covenant of Love is action in covenant.
For more information, contact: unvasodeleche@hotmail.com
Translation: Carlos Cantú, Schoenstatt Family Federation, La Feria, Texas USA 12202011
