Helping the Children at Casa Hogar

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By Ariel Duenas - PVNN

Here in Puerto Vallarta, we are fortunate to have a wealth of wonderful people who are known for going out of their way to help others. The inherent warmth, hospitality, and most importantly, friendly attitude of the local people is just as inviting as the town's incredible natural beauty.

Casa Hogar volunteers holding one of the orphans who call Casa Hogar home.

On any given day, an extraordinary number of hidden heroes are busy helping, caring and giving a hand to those unfortunate ones. Whether they be our neighbors or just a random old lady crossing the street, whenever an opportunity presents itself, ordinary citizens are doing something marvelous for someone else.

Well now we have a chance to help again, only this time it is for our children. For many years Casa Hogar Maximo Cornejo Quiroz A.C., an orphanage near the Puerto Vallarta International Airport, has been sheltering 53 children up to the age of seventeen.

For the orphanage, it has become an increasingly difficult task to look after these children, many of whom are quickly turning into adults. Some of the kids need special treatment, others need psychological treatment, but all of them are in need of the love and support that comes so naturally to the people of Puerto Vallarta.

Most of the children go to school, but the little ones (toddlers) spend their days at the orphanage, where a handful of volunteers work with wonderful people like Luz Aurora Arredondo, Rocio, and Casa Hogar founder, Sra. Elisa Cornejo, who do their best to make the orphanage feel like home.

Because of the laws in Puerto Vallarta these children cannot be adopted, so their lives are confined within the walls of Casa Hogar, where these "surrogate mothers" do their best to provide them with daily activities like learning, playing and interacting with others.

Since these kids are rarely exposed to outside influences, Global Volunteer Projects has been bringing volunteers from Europe and North America to help with the daily duties. Volunteers like Stacy Homes from New Castle Tyne England, who has been working with the babies at the orphanage for the last two months.

Now, for those of you who are wondering what this story is leading to... We need your help.

A group of boy scouts in Utah, led by Mr. Rob Slater, have gathered a few hundred pounds of school supplies they wish to donate to the kids at the Casa Hogar Maximo Cornejo orphanage, and Mr. Manuel Andrade of Wild Travellers USA has been doing everything he can think of to find sponsors to help him get the Scout's generous donation to Puerto Vallarta - by any means possible.

These school supplies are sitting in Utah due to the lack of resources needed to pay for transportation. And though we have been trying to contact UPS or DHL to see if they would be willing to help, in the meantime, it is very frustrating for all those great Boy Scouts in Utah who spent a great deal of time and effort gathering the supplies for less fortunate children here in PV.

So let's all give 'em a hand. If you have any suggestions or contacts that may help us achieve our goals, please contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

All donations should be made directly to orphanage personnel. To learn how you can make the sun shine brighter for these kids, call Casa Hogar Maximo Cornejo Quiroz A.C. at (52) (322) 221-1908, send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or visit MaximoCornejo.org

Puerto Vallarta residents and visitors can visit the orphanage at Carr. Tepic Km 9 #1100, call me at 222-2010 or 044-322-127-8878 or contact me via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.