Central American Ministries

Infobox Non-profit
Non-profit_name = Central American Ministries CAM
Non-profit_
Non-profit_type =
founded_date = 1995
founder = Fr. Don Vettese, S.J.
location = 614 South Ashley Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103
origins = St. John's Jesuit High School
key_people = "Founder's Council" Alvaro Andrade, Guatemala Duane Stranahan Jr., Florida Clay Mathile, Ohio Karen Pulte, Michigan Joseph Rideout, Ohio Joan Vatterott, Missouri John Vatterott, Missouri "Staff" Oscar Dussan, Ann Arbor, Michigan Andrew Pawuk, Ann Arbor, Michigan Br. James Boynton, S.J., Ann Arbor, Michigan
area_served = Guatemala El Salvador Honduras Nicaragua
focus = Service to the poor of Central America
method =
revenue =
endowment =
num_volunteers =
num_employees =
num_members =
owner =
Non-profit_slogan = "If not us... Who? If not now... When?"
homepage = [http://www.camon-line.org www.camon-line.org]
dissolved =
footnotes =

Central American Ministries or CAM is a Jesuit ministry headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan near the campus of The University of Michigan. The mission sends several crews of students, staff, medical personnel, and construction workers to Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

History

CAM was founded in 1995 by Jesuit priest Fr. Don Vettese. In 1992 the former president of St. John's Jesuit High School and Academy took several students from the high school to Guatemala City, Guatemala. At the time of there visit, before a large methane fire erupted in 2002, the Guatemala City Dump allowed children to work in the dump with adults. The crew of Jesuit students stumbled upon the child filled dump and Fr. Vettese found his inspiration to continue this mission. Upon returning to Toledo, Ohio Fr. Vettese gathered funds and started the mission.

On 1 July 2006 CAM opened its new headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan, previously it was headquartered at St. John's Jesuit High School and Academy where its founder served as president until 2007. After the close of the 2007 school year Fr. Vettese left the school in order to serve full time as president of CAM. CAM has conducted numerous medical missions to Central America since 1995. Medical Missions have included doctors, pediaticians, dentists, oral surgeons, nurses, EMTs, pharmacists, medical professionals, and countless volunteers. The medical brigades work directly with populations living next to garbage dump communities serving the poor there.

Projects

Since its foundation in 1995 CAM has founded several projects in Central America.

Guatemala

*Colonia San Juan Housing Project
**CAM's first project donated supplies and plans for 210 block houses to be built near the Guatemala City Dump. CAM organized the project in the United States and Guatemala while Guatemalan citizens built the homes themselves. Each home supplies water, electricity and sewage systems to the residents.
*Micro-business loans
**In 1996 CAM set up a large seminar that supplied loans an education to workers of the city dump. Women and men received loans of up to US$2,500 which is very large (The average Guatemalan family lives on US$1 dollar a day.)
*Santa Maria Church
**In 1997 CAM built the Santa Maria Catholic Church which today serves 100 families. The church is a fully functioning parish which offers daily Mass and all of the sacraments.
*Santa Clara Nursery
**Founded in 1998 this nursery cares for children whose mother works in the dump. In 2007 over 400 babies and toddlers were cared for daily at the nursery.
***Innocent Angels Nursery
****Added to the original Sta. Clara Nursery, new hall of classrooms and bathrooms allowed the Sta. Clara program to support 150 new toddlers.
*Myra Thompson Sewing School
**Placing emphasis away from a life at the dump this school, founded in 1999 graduates 70 women annually.
*Francisco Coll School
**One of CAM's largest projects, provides quality, free education to more than 300 children. Additionally the school provides seminars to the children's parents. In 2005, CAM expanded the school to include two additional classrooms and a counseling office.
*Francisco Coll School Nutrition Program
**Created with the foundation of the Fransico Coll School, this program provides 3,000 meals weekly to the children of the Guatemala City Dump.
*Colegio San Antonio Claret II
**In 2004 CAM began sponsoring this already established Jesuit school with yearly grants.
*Colonia San Juan Housing Expansion Project Phase II
**After the success of the original San Juan housing project CAM signed a cooperative housing agreement with city mayor Alvaro Arzu. This agreement plans to build 600 homes over several years.

El Salvador

*Precious Angels Nursery & Community Center
**CAM's first project in Guatemala's neighbor El Salvador this center provides for another dump community of nearly 5,000 people. The center was built in 2002
*Santa Ana Youth Center
**Started in 2004 this program provides a safe environment for youth age 6 - 16.

Honduras

*CAM Nursery - San Ignacio, San Pedro Sula, El Ocotillo 2008
*Escuela Republica de Mejico, San Pedro Sula
*Colegio Nuevo Paraiso, Moroceli
**After it was damaged by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 CAM refurbished the school with a large grant in 2004.
*Emergency Food Program
**Serving those in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, this program works with state officials to provide food to 1,500 citizens of Honduras.

Nicaragua

*New Project Feasibility Studies
**CAM is currently investigating the feasibility of programs at the La Chureca garbage dump in Managua, Nicaragua.