Crusader Impact

Two Saturdays ago, twenty-one Mater Dei Catholic High School Crusaders, faculty members, and parents made an early-morning journey down to Colonia Fuentes del Valle in Baja California to build a house for the Garcia Sillas family with the help of our partners & friends at International Relief Teams. In just seven short hours, our team was able to assemble, paint, and furnish the Garcia Sillas' new two-story home, which includes sleeping quarters for Ramiro and Ruth, a loft fo...r their daughter Ailyn, a kitchen, and an outhouse. We feel extremely blessed to have had this opportunity and are praying for the continued success of the Garcia Sillas family as they begin their new start in life. Again, we would like to thank our San Diego and Chula Vista-based sponsors for allowing us to make this trip a reality! Without them and the 138 community members who made a donation to this project, we would not have been able to share the Lord’s love with the Garcia Sillas family. Ascension Catholic Church L&L Hawaiian Barbecue - Eastlake, Chula Vista Heidi Roji at Gr Bill Business Brokers Afton Miller at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. Matthew 25:35,40, NIV

We are excited to announce that our March 31 housebuilding trip will benefit the Garcia Silla family of Tijuana, which includes 25-year-old Ramiro, 20-year-old Ruth, and their one-year-old daughter, Ailyn. According to our friends at International Relief Teams, mud leaks into Ruth and Ramiro's current home when it rains, preventing them from building a safe & secure future for Ailyn. We are looking forward to meeting the Garcia Silla's next Saturday! Thank you to our San Dieg...o and Chula Vista-based sponsors for allowing us to make this trip a reality: Ascension Catholic Church L&L Hawaiian Barbecue - Eastlake, Chula Vista Heidi Roji at Gr Bill Business Brokers Afton Miller at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage And to the 138 community members who made a donation to our cause!

On Friday night, more than fifty students joined us at our first-ever Night for the Homeless at Mater Dei, where they were exposed to the reality of homelessness in the United States, learned what is being done to address the issue in San Diego County, and, most importantly, began their own efforts to give back to San Diego's homeless community. By watching a documentary entitled "Shelter," which followed several homeless individuals in New Orleans as they worked through reh...abilitation programs and job trainings to get back on their feet; listening to a distinguished panel of board executives, lawyers, and social workers that are at the forefront of the efforts to improve the quality of life for homeless individuals in San Diego County; and assembling fifty "Red Bags," which include water, protein- and energy-rich snacks, gum, and a personal message from each student, for distribution downtown at a later date; each and every participant received the education and inspiration they will need to go out and make an impact in the homeless community themselves. Thank you to Vice Impact and Covenant House in Louisiana for allowing us to show "Shelter," to our students and staff for joining us, and to the members of our Panel on Homelessness for sharing their missions and personal inspirations to give back: Ruth Bruland, Chief Program Officer at Father Joe's Villages Joe Ergastolo, esq., Chairman of the Board at St. Vincent de Paul Villages Mitchelle Woodson, esq., Staff Attorney at ThinkDignity! Shelly Parks, LCSW, Director of Programs at the San Diego Food Bank Trina Eros, Supervisor of Youth Transitional Housing at South Bay Community Services Edwin Cespedes, Social Worker and Child Welfare and Protection Worker for the County of San Diego "Serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" (Galatians 5:14, NIV)

Thanks to the support of more than 130 community members, local businesses, and religious organizations in San Diego County and Baja California, we are proud to announce that we have met and exceeded our fundraising goal for our March 31 Housebuilding Project in Tijuana! Information about the specific family we will be serving will become available next month. Thank you to everyone who donated for allowing us to be able to make a difference!

Housebuilding Fundraising Update: As of today, we have raised only ~$4000 of the $7000 we will need to build a home for a struggling family in Tijuana this spring. Our fundraising deadline is TOMORROW, February 25, and without an additional $3k, we will not be able to give the family new hope for a better future. Please SHARE this post with your friends and family and consider making a tax-deductible donation to our project by visiting the link below. Even a small contributio...n will make a big difference on the lives of the family we will be serving and on the lives of our student volunteers. Thank you so much for your support! This is truly a community effort and we appreciate your kindness. http://app.snap-raise.com//mater-dei-high-school-crusader-

On a chilly Saturday morning, the team had the opportunity to once again go to Second Bread Chances of Our Lives to serve breakfast and distribute groceries to homeless veterans living in Ocean Beach, San Diego. For more information on our events follow our Instagram account @crusader.impact or check our youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXi8AaPIDaSHfwlK5uby3Uw

Happy February! Our campaign to build a new home for a needy family in Tijuana, Baja California just launched today, and we are asking for your support to make this project a reality. We appreciate any amount that you can give, and all contributions are fully tax-deductible! Thank you in advance for your support of this life-changing project. https://www.snap-raise.com//mater-dei-high-school-crusader

Crusader Impact: Christmas Toy Drive Tijuana December 24,2017 On Christmas Eve, we spent time giving gifts too the children from the Emmanuel Orphanage. Also, we distributed gifts to children that live in impoverished areas throughout Tijuana.

Crusader Impact: Christmas Toy Drive San Diego December 22, 2017 The team drove up to The Ronald McDonald House to donate more than 50 wrapped gifts to bring joy to the kids for the holidays

Calling all Crusaders! Our December toy drive for orphans in San Diego and Tijuana is starting tomorrow! Please bring any unwrapped toy (no weapon-shaped toys or toys with batteries) to your religion classes until Thursday, December 14th. Half of the toys will be given to the Alpha Project on 12/15, and the other half will be distributed to children in Tijuana on Christmas Eve, 12/24. You can also help us to wrap gifts as a service opportunity! Please contact any member of the team to help with wrapping, or with any questions: Dimitri Gianousopoulos, Brandon Moore, Manuella Sobol, Samantha Ruiz! Mater Dei Catholic High School

Crusader Impact: Orfantorio Emmanuel, Tijuana, Mexico On Sunday, November 19, 2017 we drove down across the border to spend time with less fortunate children living at an orphanage on the outskirts of Tijuana. We were lucky enough to live a heart-warming experience that brought joy to all the kids and everyone on the Crusader Impact team. Photos by: Oscar Prado