How can you help? By being concerned about the people and problems, by getting informed about the situations, by volunteering your time and resources, and with your financial gifts. Who does the work? Construction is done through the combined effort of US volunteers and local Mexican program participants. Upcoming recipients of housing work together to lay the concrete slabs and help the US volunteers to build the houses. Latrines are generally built by the house owners themselves; the materials and plans are provided by the corporation. The Project Mercy program is operated on a sweat equity basis. Volunteers with home construction skills are desperately needed. Where does the money for the program come from? Backing for the program comes from several major sources and many individual donors. Major donors to date have been: Eastman Kodak, Sempra Energy, Boney Family Fund, Hasbro Inc., Everhealth Foundation, and the Guadalupe Fund. Groups such as individual Rotary Club and USD students have provided money and manpower. The bulk of our donations comes from private citizens. What can you do to help? Each house costs $3,750* and monetary donations are always appreciated no matter how small. The Project is constantly in need of skilled labor and assistance. People with trucks and trailers are urgently needed to carry either building materials or more often basic furniture. In the winter months we collect blankets, sleeping bags, baby blanket sleepers, and basic foods. We would like to encourage service groups, churches, youth groups, and any other organizations or clubs to hold fund raising events such as a car wash, bake sale, or garage sale, to raise money to help fund a new home or to help make essential roof repairs to existing dwellings. Collections of unperishable foods are also appreciated. *(Costs have risen dramatically in the past year especially since we are now having to purchase our doors and windows in Mexico. Therefore, regretfully we have to raise the cost of one house to $3,750. House and latrine together cost $4,500.) How do I donate online? Online giving is not yet active. We hope to provide this convenient feature in the near future. Donations can be sent directly to Project Mercy at: PMB #154, 14781 Pomerado Road Poway, CA 92074