Quick Facts

Who We Are

Pasitos de Luz is a registered Mexican non-profit organization founded by mothers of disabled children to meet the therapeutic, psychological and basic needs of their kids. Pasitos de Luz provides care for disabled children from low-income families free-of-charge.

Who We Serve

Pasitos is a lifeline for approximately 130 families, with a goal of reaching up to 200 families. The children we support suffer from often acute physical and psychological disabilities. We offer a wide range of services free-of-charge, including physical therapy, hydrotherapy, psychological care, nutrition and wellness, education programs and so much more!

Registered Charity Status

Pasitos de Luz is officially registered and recognized by the Jalisco State Organization for Charities #010-070. (5.160)-DGAS-2011-223 and is also registered as a charity by the Mexican Inland Revenue Office. Pasitos de Luz is recognized and can provide tax deductible receipts in Mexico and through partner organizations in Canada and United States.

Statistical description of the children that we support

Pasitos de Luz accepts children and adolescents between the ages of 1 and 17 years. At this time, we also have 5 adolescents between the ages of 17 and 22. Several of these adolescents have attended Pasitos de Luz from a young age. These young people have mental or physical conditions, for which the services of Pasitos de Luz continue to serve their progress.

Of the total number of children that come to Pasitos de Luz, 53% of them are girls and 47% are boys.

In relation to the population we serve, the following problems have been identified as the most common:

Motor skills and movement issues 35.8%

Communication and speaking skills 28.4%

Mental limitations 22.3%

Visual impairments 18.7

Hearing issues 12.3%

Inability to dress themselves (for those who are physically able) 11.8%

It is important to understand that a single child may have more than one disability. The disabling conditions of the Pasitos children that are evident from birth represent 40.6% of the cases, by disease 19%, while by an accident 6.2%.

The following diagnoses are represented in the children that we support:

Cerebral Palsy, Hemiparesis, Learning Disabilities, Down Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Conditions, inability to speak, Microcephaly, Muscular Dystrophy, Post-Meningitis Syndrome and other disabilities that impact a child’s ability to live independently.

Hours of Operation:

Our services are offered Monday to Friday. We begin our day at 7:30 am, at which time the kids are helped onto our bus at the former Pasitos location in Pitillal. We then pick up more kids at several locations en route, arriving at Casa Connor by 9:00 am. At 3:30 pm the children are assisted onto the bus once again and are dropped off to their parents, either at the location where they were picked up or at the former Pitillal location, by 5:00 pm. In 2021, we plan to start offering short-term respite services to families.

100% free of charge:

All of our services are offered 100% free of charge.

Socio-economic characteristics of the population served:

The families targeted for services from Pasitos de Luz are those with limited resources, especially those living in extreme poverty, who have a child with disability.

Our institution is supported by the following:

International Foundations

Fundraising Events

Local Companies

Bazaar Sales

Individuals

Support received from the government or non-government organizations (NGOs):

Government

• The Government of Nayarit provided a new mini-bus to assist in the transportation of the children.

• IJAS (Instituto Jalisciense de Asistencia Social) provided a vehicle which is for the use of Pasitos de Luz, so long as contract requirements are fulfilled, as well as training, donations of physiotherapy mats and food.

• There is no ongoing operational economic support from government, either local or national.

NGOs

Pasitos de Luz and Casa Connor receive donations from individuals and some businesses. Individuals provide their financial support through foundations and entities capable of providing tax deductible receipts from countries outside of Mexico.

Banderas Bay Charities (US) bbcinc.org

Canadian Children’s Shelter of Hope Foundation (Canada) ccshf.ca

Children’s Shelter of Hope Foundation (US) cshf-us.org

Eagle’s Wings Foundation eagles-wings-foundation.org

Mayan Rental funsunmexico.com

Mexico’s Canadian Angels Foundation mcangels.org

Richard R. Reed Foundation richardrreedfoundation.org

International Friendship Club Puerto Vallarta ifcvallarta.com

Dahl Family Foundation

Local businesses: 2 Box, Alpez Grupo Energía y Distribución, Bacha’s Mexican Restaurant, Elengorn Realtors, Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta

Oxxo and Soriana Round Up campaigns in Banderas Bay