Hello,
I am currently an ESL teacher at the Phoenixville High School. I also teach adult ESL at times. The majority of our English Learners come from Guatemala, and a handful from Honduras, El Salvador, and Brazil. Since 2005, when I began teaching ESL, these families have had my heart. Getting to know my students' families beyond the classroom and hearing their stories is often deeply moving and heart-wrenching.
Most of them have faced dire circumstances due to extreme poverty. In their home countries, a lack of educational opportunities, limited job prospects, and corrupt governments are unfortunately the norm. Gang violence, homicides, and threats have become part of daily life. Shockingly, 98% of all crimes in Guatemala go unprosecuted (Source: Newsweek). Over the years, most of my students and their families have left behind their beautiful homelands, relatives, friends, homes, and even their pets, all in search of a better future for their children. They aspire to offer their children a brighter future and are willing to brave the perilous and costly journey through Mexico, where they often face physical violence, theft, sexual assault, and injuries, in the pursuit of the American dream.
Many immigrants have discovered a welcoming community here in Phoenixville, PA. However, the majority of newcomer families arrive with nothing - no clothes, no furniture, no money - and are essentially starting their lives from scratch. This is where Kate's Casa comes in. Our organization was established to continue facilitating donations and to assist as many children and families as we can. Rather than dropping off items at Goodwill or Green Drop, we encourage you to contact us so that we can ensure your donations directly benefit a family in need.
We consistently find good homes for donations in excellent condition, including clothes, shoes, baby equipment, smaller toys, beds, furniture, dishes, and more. We have a weekly "Conversations at the Casa" program where families can pick up donations and chat about anything. We also send humongous boxes to Guatemala every other month.
Please ensure these items are free of holes or stains. If you're interested, please print the receipt (below) for your tax records.
Please be aware that we reserve the right to dispose of items that do not meet our quality standards or to forward unneeded items to Green Drop/Goodwill.
To schedule a donation drop-off or for further inquiries, please contact Kate at katescasainc@gmail.com or via text/call at 610-864-6866.
