Fundamaya

from Saguaro’s Lea Cuzner:

February 2026

Dear Friends,

I went to Guatemala with an organization called FundaMaya in 2023 with my sister’s UCC church in California. I am going again this year from March 6 – 15. I would like to ask for your help.

This organization is well established in the Lake Atitlan area and provides a variety of services to the Mayan people. They have programs that focus on education, family aid, sewing, income-generating programs and homes for animals. Over 80% of their employees are Mayan. During our time with FundaMaya, we will be painting murals in the FundaMaya preschools, working on the sewing/quilting vocational education program, donating and installing fuel-efficient, safe stoves and beds to families in need. We will be taking donations to and participating in activities at their preschools, fellowshipping with and feeding lunch at one of their Elder Care Programs, and taking some time for cultural activities.

If you would like to support some of our endeavors in Guatemala, the following are donations that the Community Church of Poway is collecting:

Shoes and socks for preschoolers, sizes 10 – 2 and reading glasses

Fundamaya has five preschools run by indigenous women. We are collecting shoes (new and slightly used) and new socks for the preschool-age children. It’s a delight to see how their faces light up when they get a pair that fits them! There are over 100 children at the preschool we will be visiting. Any extras that we collect will be given to the other four preschools run by Fundamaya. If you know of people who have preschool children ages 2 to 5 years old (shoe sizes 10 -2), we would love to have the shoes they’ve outgrown. New shoes are also most welcomed. We are also collecting reading glasses for the Elder Care Center participants.

Our group pays for all the service projects. If you wish to donate any amount of money, you can make out a check to the Community Church of Poway, and it will be used to add to our service projects.  

 If you have further questions, please contact me at (ansamake@yahoo.com). You may be interested in perusing FundaMaya’s web site: www.fundamaya.org . I know there are lots of charities out there. Just thought I would let you know about this opportunity to help out. If you have donations of preschool shoes and socks and/or reading glasses you can leave them in the Narthex. I will take these greatly needed items to the Mayan people of Guatemala.

I’ll be collecting these items until March 1, 2026.

Thank you! 

Lea Cuzner