The Evangelical School
for the Deaf
 

San Juan Community
Library at BUCAPLAA

The Newcomers are involved with charities since we are a non profit club. We have fundraisers every year and all the proceeds go to our supported charities.

Currently we have 4 charities:
1) Asociación Educativa Pro Desarollo Humano De Culebra, helping the children on the island of Culebra. This is a day care center and outreach facility.
2) Bill's Kitchen, helping people who are victims of HIV/AIDS. They need volunteers to help prepare the food for the victims of HIV/AIDS.
3) Evangelical School for the Deaf, providing education to children with hearing and speech disabilities. The school does lots by providing a learning curve among the deaf children. They need volunteers for special projects and teaching. During the Christmas Koffee, the children in the handbell choir perform.
4) San Juan Community Library at BUCAPLAA, a lending library and excellent resource for adults and children. The library offers reading, story time, musical & dance activities, art, and much more. There are many opportunities for volunteering at the library.

By getting involved within the club each one can help in their own little way. To start with just by donating the unwanted treasures in your house, books, toys, grocery bags, clothing, cleaning supplies, and any household items. Any of these items can be used by the charities. Come let's get involved, they need your help!!


Thanks,
Nithya Chandran
Charity Chairperson
2009-2010

La Asociación Educativa pro Desarrollo Humano de Culebra, Inc., is a small not-for-profit social services agency that has tried to fill the gaps in services available to Culebra’s children and families with special needs for more than 20 years. Supported by Newcomer’s Club, United Way, the Municipality of Culebra, and the state school lunch program, La Asociación offers a variety of unique services depending on the needs we identify.

At present, we have an early stimulation program for children from 2 to 5 years old that promotes participants' development through structured and supervised educational activities and field trips. Children up to age 13 participate in field trips to enhance their cultural experiences and also come to our Center after school or on days when teachers are absent to help with the preschoolers and participate in educational activities themselves. In June and July, children through age 8 are welcome to participate in a day camp that focuses on environmental education and water safety.
 

Bill's Kitchen
Helping HIV/AIDS Victims

225 Barbosa Avenue
Hato Rey, Puerto Rico

Phone: 787-754-6525
e-mail: billskitchenpr@yahoo.com

Volunteering: contact Sandy Torres (e-mail: sandytorres731@yahoo.com)

Newcomer's Liaison: Kay Tuccillo
 

Bill's Kitchen provides meals and nutritional counseling for people living with HIV/AIDS.  Newcomer Sara Bawa founded the kitchen after her son, Bill died of AIDS.  After helping him and others through their illness in a similar organization in Seattle, she came to Puerto Rico determined to do something about the great need she saw in the streets of San Juan. 

Each week, the organization serves almost 320 clients in San Juan and 120 in Fajardo, depending on the services of 20 permanent staff members, including professionals and support personnel as well as over 150 volunteers.  Most of their clients have either poor or non-existing family support systems.  Currently Newcomers funding provides the fresh fruits and vegetables on the carryout plates delivered daily to shut-ins. Also through hard work and determination, the club raised enough money for the kitchen to purchase a van. The support of Newcomers group and others, has made possible that we could initiate new services to the Bayamón area during the month of May.  Thanks for being part of all of these achievements.
 

ESD's Mission
The ESD objective is to prepare the Deaf student for four
areas of life through
- academic preparation
 - social skills
- vocational training
- biblical foundation

The Evangelical School for the Deaf is located in Barrio Casa Blanca outside of Luquillo, Puerto Rico. It is the only English-language school for the Deaf in Puerto Rico and is staffed by teachers trained to work with the Deaf. All workers are Missionaries who work with the Deaf. Each teacher is responsible to raise their own financial support.

The philosophy of Total Communication is used in the classrooms at ESD. This philosophy incorporates signed language as well as spoken language and visual aids to introduce any new concept. We seek to prepare the Deaf child for life in a hearing world. At ESD, students learn ASL, Contact Signing, Puerto Rican signs, written English and Spanish, and other means of communicating with those who are limited in their knowledge of Deaf culture and sign language.

All academic subjects are taught with special emphasis placed on language development and Biblical principles Additionally, the children are taught music as they participate in our sign language choir and handbell choir. Various choir groups perform around the island throughout the school year. Volunteers and Newcomers visitors are always welcome!  You can arrange a visit through the school office at 787-889-3488 or esdluquillo@gmail.com.
 

A Community Lending Library for Adults and Children
Avenue Apolo, (PO Box # 3758)
Guaynabo, Puerto Rico 00970-3758

Phone: 787-789-4600       e-mail: info@yourlibrarysanjuan.org

Website: www.yourlibrarysanjuan.org or www.tubiblioteca.org
Newcomer's Liaison: Teresa Mullett
 

The San Juan Community Library at BUCAPLAA is a non profit organization open to the general public. One of the few lending libraries in Puerto Rico, we began operations in October 1987. Our staff is comprised of volunteers, including our board of directors, and one paid part time executive director.  We have over 22,000 bilingual materials with the following collections:  Fiction, Young Adult Fiction, Adult Fiction, Science Fiction, Non-Fiction, Reference, Magazines, CD’S, DVD’s Books on Tape, and a Puerto Rican section of over 3,000 bilingual materials.  We also have a low-cost book sales section. (Childrens’ Books 4/$1; Paperbacks 4/$1; Hardcover $1.00 and Softbound .50)

We are grateful to the Newcomers Club of San Juan for voting us as one of their charities for 2009-2010.  The Club’s support as volunteers, fundraisers, and promoters is a cherished part of our heritage.  Since our opening in October 1987, members of the Newcomers Club have been a part of our excellent volunteer staff. 

Recent additions to the library with Newcomers’ funding include the remodeling of our Conference Room and Kitchen, computers for our public network, improvements to the library, proper lighting and fans, the annual update for technical support of our Catalog/Circulation system, the creation of an executive director’s office, books and reference materials, and a Listening-Recording Laboratory. 

We have a variety of classes and special events for children and adults.  For the most current information and our operating schedule, please visit our website at www.yourlibrarysanjuan.org or www.tubiblioteca.org or call us at 787-789-4600. Our library is committed to providing the access to the information available in books and computers, and classes to support our community. Let us know if there is an activity which you would like to offer or partake of at our library.