Thank you for your donation!

In the past month, we have received over $5,500 dollars from dozens of individuals like you. Receiving funding from so many people is a very encouraging way to kick off the new year! These donations will go directly to support our 2008 projects (see below). Thank you for your generosity!

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It's not too late to donate $150 and receive Puente's 2008 calendar.

In 2008, Puente will work directly with more than 1,270 families and impact the lives of another 9,000 people in dozens of villages. Our projects function together to comprehensively reintroduce amaranth into the Oaxacan diet and landscape.

Our New Year's Resolution: 

Each new year brings new hopes, challenges, and successes. As with every year, Puente plans to conduct the most effective, quality projects that will bring amaranth to thousands of rural villagers in 2008. We aim to facilitate projects that are culturally appropriate, sustainable, and environmentally sound in order to meet the needs of our participants.

In 2008, we look forward to several major collaborations:

• In partnership with the Oaxaca Community Foundation with funding from the International Community Foundation and the Ford Foundation, Puente will greatly expand our Training Farmers project and open an in-region agriculture center with amaranth harvesting equipment for farmers growing amaranth on a large-scale. This project will also receive support in 2008 from the Weyerhaeuser Family Foundation and Heifer International Foundation.
• Through a collaboration with Investing in Education, Puente will work to add amaranth to school food programs throughout Oaxaca.

Goodbye Josh and Hitzel Joshua Spetter, Program Director, left Puente at the end of December 2007. Josh will spend time in Paraguay before returning to the U.S. to pursue his Master's degree in Sustainable Development. His leadership, good humor, and passion will be greatly missed. Taking over Josh's position as Program Director is Gabriela Blanco who has worked as a Health Educator with Puente since 2005. Hitzel Quero Hernandez also left Puente in December 2007. Hitzel worked with Puente since March 2005 as a Progam Assistant and Health Educator. She left Puente to pursue other work. We will miss Hitzel's dedication, kindness, and loyalty. Barbara Gomez Reyes was hired to fill the Health Educator position. We wish Josh and Hitzel the best of luck in their endeavors!

  Welcome New Volunteers!

Puente would like to welcome the following volunteers to our team. These highly qualified volunteers will accompany Puente's staff to rural villages in order to assist with the facilitaton of amaranth workshops.

Vanessa Freije moved to Oaxaca after completing studies in Latin American History and Spanish Literature at the University of California in San Diego. Prior to arriving in Oaxaca, Vanessa interned at a non-profit law center for immigrants. Vanessa has traveled to various other countries, but she is most interested in Mexico and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Latin American History.

Sarah Lister Weinberger, from Toronto, Canada moved to Oaxaca after living in Veracruz, Mexico for one-and-a-half years while studying at Veracruz University. Sarah's background includes cooking and nutrition, Latin American culture, and a strong interest in organic and local foods. She also has extensive volunteer experience and practices and leads yoga.

Nora Rodli is from Wisconsin and has traveled and lived in various communities around the world. Her extensive background includes experience in agriculture, nutrition, health, and Latin America. Nora also loves cooking and farming and was the co-owner of an organic vegetable farm in New Mexico. 

Ellen Cynar, originally from Michigan and currently living in Washington, D.C. is volunteering with Puente while taking a break from her work in international trade and her studies related to nutrition. She has been experimenting with new recipes involving amaranth leaves. We are very fortunate to have her help and have enjoyed trying the various dishes she has prepared.