Due to the pandemic, devastating hardships have increased all throughout the world, but especially for poverty-stricken individuals in Mexico. Unfortunately, homelessness has increased rapidly. There are many people suffering, including neglected and abandoned children. But La Ola Children’s Home in Jalisco, Mexico, is working hard to rescue these children and provide for them a home, education, love and care. Local artist Laurie Snow Hein is offering her paintings to help raise awareness and provide funds to support La Ola so it can build a larger and more permanent home to house the children.
La Ola Children’s Home was founded by Dr. Bob and Becky Plinke. After witnessing the heartbreaking poverty and neglect of many children while on their honeymoon in Mexico, they decided to take action. In 2010, they left their jobs in the United States and moved their family to Jalisco to create La Ola Children’s Home, a nonprofit organization supported primarily by private funding.
Long before La Ola existed, Snow Hein met Becky Plinke when their daughters attended summer camp together. The mothers worked at the camp and became close friends. In 2012, she went to visit them in Mexico for two weeks and took art supplies for the children. She was so impressed with the exceptional work they were accomplishing that she wanted to help by making more people aware of La Ola’s needs.
Last month, Snow Hein donated one of her original oil paintings to help raise funds for the construction of La Ola’s new home. The highest bidding donor received the original painting called “The Wave,” valued at $5,200. The benefit raised $2,600 toward pouring the foundation for the building.
La Ola cares for abandoned and abused girls, as well as those from impoverished families that find it necessary to relinquish their children into La Ola’s care for safety and an opportunity to have a good education and improved quality of life. La Ola has created a nurturing environment that recognizes and responds to individual needs and provides comprehensive care that includes much more than the basics of nutritious meals, appropriate clothing and safe housing. The girls receive medical, dental and psychological care, as well as a highly accredited education at a local private school and full support to attend a university.
“COVID-19 has pushed out more homeless children than I’ve ever seen,” Becky Plinke said.
In response to the sheer numbers of girls needing help, La Ola is making plans to expand the number of children they are caring for from 20 to more than 60. Without the caring people of La Ola, these children would be victimized on the streets of Jalisco.
Until recently, La Ola rented homes in order to safely house the children. But the current housing is inadequate to care for the 200 percent increase in residents. Through the help of generous donors, they were able to purchase four acres of land on which they plan to build their forever home.
Snow Hein continues to do her part to raise awareness and money to help make these dreams come to fruition. She is offering to gift a free print or giclee of her work to each person making an online, tax-deductible donation to La Ola at www.laolacasahogar.org. There are hundreds of images to choose from in her inventory varying from $20 to $500.
Once you have submitted your donation, e-mail Laurie Snow Hein at artistlsh@aol.com with your donation receipt and arrange to select and pick up your artwork from her studio. Your donation will impact the trajectory of a child’s life and directly benefit them for a bright future.
“I can’t do what Bob and Becky have dedicated their lives to do, but I can help them do it with the talent God has given me, she said.
