The historic community of San Gregorio in Xochimilco suffered significant damage in the earthquake on September 19. Of the 4000 homes in the town, 1000 are uninhabitable and reconstruction will take months. The schools are damaged have no plan to reopen soon, and the families who have lost their homes and livelihoods have been eating donated meals amidst the rubble. We have secured the use of a local property and are working with local leaders to transform it into a school and community kitchen
The children of San Gregorio have attended school only 21 days this year. All of their schools are damaged and closed until they can be repaired, which will be months from now. The hundreds of families whose homes were damaged are being fed by donated meals driven in by volunteers from 2 hours away, which is not sustainable. Demolition and a long reconstruction period will start soon, and the displaced families need a clean, safe space to eat and for their children to play and learn.
We have established collaborative relationships with local community leaders who know the town's greatest needs. We have secured the use of a 30,000 sq. ft. property 2km from the town center and are working to transform it into a safe haven for affected families. It will house a community kitchen (currently donated meals are delivered from restaurants 90 minutes away and eaten on the street, which is not sustainable) and a temporary school with space for classroom activities and outdoor play.
San Gregorio desperately needs a safe place for their families while the demolition and reconstruction of over a quarter of the town begins. They cannot afford for their children to be out of school for months. The community needs to rebuild in order to restart their economy, which has ground to a halt after such extensive damage. This community center will allow families to concentrate on the hard labor of rebuilding their houses and businesses from the ground up as fast as possible.
