Today I want to thank those who without this fundraising newsletter have already contributed to the Roatan Daycare Center. I also want to urge those who are able to donate to do so. These are children who would otherwise “fall through the cracks.” They have become the stars of their class when they go on to public school!

Our children are the future of the island and these early years mean everything. For Honduran children of parents in need, your help is a gift for their whole lives.

We operate under the corporate umbrella of Island Friends Roatan Inc. (Non-profit EIN #20-8533416)
For a quick and easy way to donate, click below:
Donate Now to Roatan Daycare Center via Island Friends.

For a tax deductable donation by Check: Make payable to Island Friends Roatan Inc.
Please send to Judith Allred; 7110 Poniente Lane, San Antonio, TX, 78209.

Please visit our Websites:
Roatan Daycare Center
Island Friends Roatan
Roatan Daycare on Facebook

Warmest Regards, Mari, Chanel, Paola, Romelia, Lourdes, Sophia , Oneal
Judith Allred – Director
Linda Hin – Associate Director
Bertha Montoya and Russ Summerell – Accountants

Bennett’s mother wrote: “Bennett is a regular little boy. We’ve been on a quest to hold onto things less tightly and be more generous with things. We feel blessed to have found your organization. It’s given us a great opportunity to teach our kids about kids around the world in a way that empowers them not to just “know” but to “do.” We’re proud of Bennett for inspiring other kids in our neighborhood to do similar things!”

Dear Judith,

What a wonderful time Bob and I had at the Roatan Daycare Center. Mari and Chanelle welcomed us right from the start. They provided us with a room where we sang, read stories and played games with the children. Chanelle stayed with us to help interpret and direct the activities. It’s obvious that she loves the children and has fun interacting with them. She’s playful and sweet, directing them with loving kindness. We didn’t work as closely with Mari, but when we did it was obvious that the children love her, as well.

Over the course of our one month stay, we were enlightened about some of the struggles the people of Roatan face, including ethnic tensions. But while inside the Daycare Center, we saw no evidence of strife. The children were well behaved and got along well with each other. We credit the directors for this harmony among the children. We also heard about economic limitations that many Roatan people suffer. We applaud you for opening your doors to families who need daycare services in order to survive.

We hope to return to Roatan one day, and when we do, we want to visit all of our new friends at Roatan Daycare Center. We miss their smiling faces!

Best regards,

Carol and Bob

Long range studies are now adding to a growing body of evidence that high-quality childcare results in children with better educational skills and lower behavior problems into middle childhood. As our children advance to higher education, we hear from teachers that our children do so much better than children from more affluent households.

If you were to visit the Roatan Daycare Center I think you would be amazed. You would see the arts and craft manipulative work displayed on the walls, the daily lessons in such a variety of subjects including English, and the ease of the little ones to reach for a book to “read.” The behavior changes from “street” attitudes to cooperation, team work and love of learning are evident.

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For your donation of $83.00 a month you will be providing one child with a month of care 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. This includes a healthy breakfast, lunch and 2 snack periods, classes at their individual learning level, music, dancing movements and art, time for group play, naps, and dentist and doctor care. The staff works on behavior changes with a big emphasis on appreciation! For $1000 you will be supporting the transformation of 1 child for 1 YEAR. A connected benefit is that you will be giving the parents of our children the opportunity of sustaining employment.

We operate under the corporate umbrella of Island Friends Roatan Inc. (Non-profit EIN #20-8533416). For a quick and easy way to donate, click below:
Donate Now to Roatan Daycare Center via Island Friends

For a tax deductable donation by check, make payable to: Island Friends Roatan Inc.
Please send to Judith Allred, 7110 Poniente Lane, San Antonio, TX, 78209

Visit our Photo Page to see some recent pictures of our remarkable staff and children involved in their projects.

And YOU… keep sending us what you can in money, donations, and your good wishes!

Thank you again with much appreciation,
Judith Allred – Director
Linda Hin, Genevieve Ross – Associate Directors

Our small center building in Coxen Hole, Roatan has been improved about as much as it could be but our furniture has been make-shift, some deteriorating or broken. Because of the company, ECR4Kids we now can operate with new tables, chairs, shelves, sleep mats, bicycles (now if only we had a place for the children to ride them…unfortunately the municipal trucks park in the space where the children used to play), a tumbling mat, easels, and on and on.

Imagine the joy of the staff who work every day with these new items. It is like Christmas to them and the children too. How can a contributor like this be thanked adequately…they can’t. It has to be a case of that good that they do coming back to them in different ways, and if what is said is correct, it will come back tenfold.

We also were given enough chairs to be able to donate them to others beside the Daycare. Already, some items have been given to PIER, the educational project, and are already in use to their delight. We are so fortunate and celebrate the human kindness that is apparent in Mr. Lee Siegel and his wife, who are our heroes for doing this for us. I would wish that all those who are working to educate young ones would have the same kind of chance luck that will be of help for those children in their care.

Judith Allred – Director, the Roatan Daycare Center

That isn’t the case anymore, the Roatan Daycare Center in Coxen Hole is an accessible option for low income, working parents. The place for needy families to go where their children are kept safe, healthy, learning, and loved, giving their children the opportunity to develop and grow to their maximum potential.

I remember when (twenty-five years ago) my kids were not yet old enough to attend school, and I had to go to work—bills to pay, groceries to buy, a home to maintain. It was a given that I had numerous options to choose from. Safe, fun, educationally rich Daycare Centers in Ontario, Canada were plentiful than, and still are.

Mind you, the first morning I took them to the Daycare, my daughter scampered off to play with her new friends, and to dig into the pots of finger paint just waiting to be smeared across large sheets of newsprint. My son didn’t feel the same artistic urge—he clung to me like a monkey! As I peeled one little chubby hand from my waist, it was quickly replaced by the other one grasping at my knee. With the assistance of one of the Daycare staff, I was on my way to my place of employment, my little boy was still none too impressed with me but the lure of Tonka trucks and his sister obviously having a great time subdued his anxiety. When I returned at the end of the work day to retrieve my children, they had plenty to share with me about the fun they had, the snacks and lunch they enjoyed, the numbers and letters they had learned how to print, and the new friends they had made.

With great pleasure I now get to witness children of Roatan creating masterpieces with: art paper, every colour of the rainbow pencils & paints—and a whole lot of imagination! I’ve watched them listen intently; mesmerized by the story one of their teacher brought to life for them. I’ve seen their eyes shine with great pride when they correctly pronounce a word in their English (as a second language) Class, and during snack time, I am greeted by a row of happy faces, enjoying a fresh, nutritious treat.

The Roatan Daycare Center is here for the children of Roatan and relies solely on contributions to ensure they continue to benefit. Please visit How You Can Help to see how easy it is for you to help keep it going.