Donor-advised funds (DAF)
Donor-advised funds (DAF) are the fastest-growing charitable giving vehicle in the United States because they are easy and offer a tax advantage. When you contribute cash, securities or other assets through a DAF to a public charity, like Casa Franciscana Outreach, you are generally eligible to take an immediate tax deduction. Then those funds can…
Read MoreRon Cope: He Was A Special Blessing
We are all called to serve the Lord’s kingdom here on earth in different ways. Some to pray, some to lead, and some as soldiers. Ron Cope answered the Lord’s call many years ago with a service retreat to our Franciscan Mission in Guaymas, Mexico. Whatever happened on that trip changed Ron’s heart forever. Ron…
Read MoreBringing Relief and Hope
My dear brothers and sisters, Walk with me down the dusty road to the shack of Rogelio. He is one of the many elderly that we visit, carrying a hot meal, food boxes, medicines, hygiene products, mobility devices, bedding and spiritual care. He was amazed and cried when our team brought out a…
Read MoreFirst Harvest for Casa Franciscana
On Earth Day 2022,we shared our new pilot project of home gardens. The vision is that the fruit and vegetables will provide wholesome vitamin rich food for the family and to share with neighbors. Perhaps, in the future, they will grow large enough gardens to sell some of their produce to other villages. One of…
Read MoreImagine Children Without Shoes
My dear sisters and brothers , SHOES! Imagine never having a pair of shoes or imagine sharing shoes with siblings to take turns going to school!! During COVID, our Casa Franciscana Mission buildings were shut down; so we took our ministries directly to the people. We discovered even more children deprived of education due to…
Read MoreParents Caring about Parents
When people are asked “what would you take if you were forced to quickly evacuate your home?” the answer is always family photos. But imagine not having any! This is the situation of many of the poor that the Casa Franciscana Mission serves. Frequently, as our team distributes shoes, they take pictures of the children…
Read MoreA Memorial Day Call to Action
Gracious God, Thank you that in our nation today, we are free to worship. We are free to pray. We are free to read your Word. We are free to speak. We are free to share. For this, we are incredibly grateful. Yet, we understand how quickly these freedoms can be taken away. On this…
Read MorePlanting a New Tree of Life
One of the Franciscan values is care for creation which includes Mother Earth. In observance of Earth Day, Fr. Martin and his team gathered in a rural neighborhood outside of Guaymas where some of the poorest of the poor live. They were there to launch a new pilot project – to plant fruit trees. Even…
Read MoreAn Anonymous Grant to Bring Technology to the Poor
During COVID, with schools closed, the children of the poor were excluded from any form of instruction since they lacked all needed technology (tv, computers, internet and, in some cases, electricity). The Mission staff conceived a pilot project to address these impediments and we are very blessed to have it funded by a private Catholic…
Read MoreCFO Pilots Scholarship Program
Education is one of the few paths out of poverty for the marginalized children served by the Mission. While the Mexican government adopted education for grades 1-12, the new federalism gave states the obligation to manage schools. In some of the poorer areas, only 43.5% of 15 years of age have completed primary school. While…
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