Nurturing the roots of holistic wellbeing
Rather than focus on project-based outputs or services, we seek to invest in the holistic wellbeing of people living in vulnerable communities around the world.
Through our grantmaking, we prioritize community-led initiatives that seek to heal people’s connections to God, self, others, and creation. As communities embrace new mindsets about their own identity and purpose, and learn to steward resources in more innovative ways, new paths unfold.
We believe if you heal the spirit of a people, they will lead themselves
We believe that it is not simply lack of access to such things as education, healthcare and job creation that keeps communities from flourishing, but a much deeper brokenness of spirit evidenced by lack of voice, purpose, meaningful relationships, agency and connection. (See Theory of Change)
Choosing our Grant Partners
When exploring new partnerships, we use the following criteria in our evaluation process.
We focus on 4 geographic areas – Mexico, Haiti, Northern India, and East Africa – prioritizing community-based organizations in specific regions of each country that can be connected and learn from each other.
Our support goes beyond funding. We seek to be mutual partners, creating opportunities for networking and collaboration across regions.
We seek partners who share our values and approach to living and working in community.
We are place-based, prioritizing rural communities; we are faith-inspired, responding to God's call to service and justice; and we are healing-centered, prioritizing grassroots initiatives that promote healing and reconciliation.
At this time, funding applications are available by invitation only.
Our Partners
Our current grantees work in one or more of the following areas of community development.
Stories
Changing Mindsets and Livelihoods in India
Inderpaul is a cotton farmer in the Vidarbha region of India. Due to poor weather conditions, he fell into heavy…
Combatting Gender-Based Violence in Latin America
In 2018, VHF hosted our first international grant partner retreat in Mexico City. Forty people from 15 organizations attended. Following…
We For Others: Mindset Change in India
When I (Joseph) joined Vista Hermosa Foundation as a Program Officer to steward relationships with partners in East Africa and…
Changing Mindsets and Livelihoods in India
Combatting Gender-Based Violence in Latin America
We For Others: Mindset Change in India
NELA Student Showcase
Nueva Esperanza Leadership Academy (NELA) hosted our 2nd trimester showcase this month! Each student prepared tri-fold boards demonstrating an individualized and project-based learning approach and highlighting some of their favorite work. From lego robotics, to pancake samples, to artwork and essay writing, the gym was full of joy, creativity, and conversation. As the choir sang and the dance team performed,…
The Call to Community Magazine
Vista Hermosa Foundation has just released our first publication, The Call to Community: Fruits of Servant Leadership magazine! This magazine features stories from all eight members of our PAC Initiative, offering an inspiring look into how these communities have grown and flourished over the years. Five of these partners are located here in rural communities of southeastern…
A Heart for Our Youth
Joe Vidot only worked for the Center for Sharing (CFS) for 2 years but the impact that he made on this community is immeasurable. Some of us recall what the atmosphere was like at The Collegium before Joe started working here in 2015. The youth rarely came in here just to hang out or do…
Spontaneous Acts of Kindness
Today there were several meetings taking place in the Collegium Café. There was a mother with two young boys looking into options of renting one of our spaces for an upcoming birthday party. Her boys were keeping her busy by running away from her any chance they got. Sitting on the couch with a laptop…
Lunch with a Stranger
“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2 Today, the smell of Chicken Tortilla Soup filled the Collegium Café while Nevresa sat at one of the tables working hard to finish preparing newsletters to be mailed out. An elderly…
Visit from Plant with Purpose
From June 27-29, we had the joy of hosting Luis Castellanos and Doug Satre with Plant with Purpose, an organization that VHF has partnered with in Oaxaca since 2008. Luis is based in the Mixteca region of Nochixtlan, a place that was recently in the news due to unrest and violence. Staff from the Foundation,…
International Women’s Day
On March 17, 2016, the Center for Sharing featured its annual international women’s day event! During this event, The Center for Sharing celebrated international women’s day by inviting local vendors and individuals from all around the area to come and participate in our program. During the program, the director of Vista Hermosa Foundation, Suzanne Broetje,…
Update: Youth Job training program
During this last fall, we responded to a need in the community of East Pasco of many young men and women wondering the community unemployed, with no drive or purpose. No sense of direction. We responded to this by starting the Evening Cafe Youth Job Training program at the Collegium cafe. During that time, many…
Find your Voice
Today, we find that nearly 30 percent of the migrant population in the United States is from Mexico. This means that almost 12 million people live here in the U.S. that were born in Mexico. They migrate north for a chance at a better life; a chance to raise their family with better odds than…
Meet Joe
Like my dad, I was born in inner City New York, where I, my parents, and my older sister lived. My parents had the best of intentions for our family when they decided to move us from the inner city’s bad happenings. My family traveled and moved many times, inevitably ending up with us living…