COSTA RICA
Alajuela (Near San Jose International Airport):
Pura Vida Hotel is located just 4 kilometers from the San Jose International Airport in the town of Alajuela. The hotel has instituted programs to help support a local school in the area, the Escuela Tuetal Sur. Children at the school are in kindergarten through age 12. The hotel serves as a drop-off point for donations, although visits to the school can be coordinated. The school could use Spanish alphabet flash cards, Spanish flash cards, math flash cards, jump ropes, Frisbees, soccer balls, basketballs, Band-Aids, antibiotic ointments and creams, Spanish dictionaries, story books in Spanish, and school supplies. For more information, visit the Pura Vida Hotel's website at Puravidahotel.com, contact them at info@puravidahotel.com or call them at 506-430-2929. From the United States, dial the international access code 011.
La Fortuna:
Hogarcito San Bosco de La Fortuna is a transitional orphanage for children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect and other situations. The home cares for children from ages 0-10. For more information about this children's home in La Fortuna, please see the organization's website at Lafortunaorphanage.com. The home can use the help of volunteers for painting, gardening, construction, cooking help and a variety of other activities. In kind donations of diapers, milk, formula and other items are needed as well. A complete wish list is available on the organization's website. All visits to the orphanage must be pre-arranged and approved by the Director. Volunteers should be aware that there are no English speakers at the home. For more information, email the home at hogarcitot@yahoo.es or call 506-2479-9500. From the United States, dial the international access code 011.
Golfo Dulce:
The Carbonera School is a small school located in the Osa Peninsula region of Costa Rica. Lapa Rios Ecolodge, an award-winning rainforest hotel in the region, built this local school in the early 1990's and helps to support the school as well as ten of the Osa Peninsula Schools. Information on the school's current wish list is provided on the lodge's website: Laparios.com. Students need packs of paper, packs of pencils, packs of pens, scissors, rulers, staplers, packs of play dough, crayons, chalk, assorted puzzles, reading and math learning games, Spanish language reading books, Spanish alphabet flash cars, math flash cards, soccer balls, and Spanish language books for libraries for children in first through sixth grades. For more information, contact Lapa Rios toll free from the U.S. and Canada at 800-711-7970 or 011-506-2735-5130, or by email at info@laparios.com.
Monteverde:
The Cloud Forest School is a bilingual school located in the tropical cloud forest near Monteverde. The campus is located on 106 acres of cloud forest, which was purchased from the Nature Conservancy. Over half of the students come from families with incomes of less than $500 per month. There are over 200 students from preschool through grade 11. The school greatly appreciates the donations of visitors to the area and a current wish list is contained on the school's website, Cloudforestschool.org. Please review this wish list before bringing any items. For more information, contact the school's External Relations Manager at opportunities@cloudforestschool.org or contact them at 506-2645-5161. From the United States, dial the international access code 011. Volunteers are also needed to work on service projects at the school.
Monteverde Friends School is a K-12 bilingual school in the Monteverde area. The school’s needs include bilingual books for first and second grades, DVDs, Montessori learning tools for kindergarten, musical instruments, art materials, soccer balls, tennis balls and other items. A complete wish list of items is supplied on their website. Volunteers are also needed at the school to help tutor students in English, help students with individualized attention, and other activities. For more information, visit the Monteverde Friends School website at Mfschool.org, contact them by phone at 506-2645-5530. If calling from the United States, dial the international access code 011.
Tortuguero:
Costa Rica Expeditions helps to assist the schools in Tortuguero. Located on the Caribbean coast, the town of Tortuguero is so remote that historically it has received little attention and support from the Costa Rican government. While the town is well known for turtle nesting and eco-trips, the schools in Tortuguero are very basic. These small schools could use donations of school supplies, calculators, sports equipment such as soccer balls, backpacks, Spanish reading books, flash cards and other items. For more information on Tortuguero and efforts to help the town's schools, visit the Costa Rica Expeditions website at: CostaRicaExpeditions.com. You may also contact Costa Rica Expeditions by email at costaric@costaricaexpeditions.com or toll free by phone at 1-877-312-0787.
Sarapiqui:
Selva Verde Lodge and Rainforest Reserve is located approximately two hours from San Jose in Costa Rica's verdant rainforest. The Lodge offers guests the opportunity to participate in community service projects with the Sarapiqui Conservation Learning Center. Many of the projects involves work in either banana or pineapple plantations. To learn more about these volunteer opportunities, see the Culture and Community section of the Selva Verde Lodge website: Selvaverde.com. Guests can also visit a local elementary school or high school. Guests can donate Spanish board games, colored pencils, art supplies, new or gently used children's clothing and shoes. For more information, call 1-800-451-7111 from the United States or Canada, or email info@selvaverde.com.
Several Locations Throughout Costa Rica:
Cayuga Collection of sustainable luxury hotels and lodges has founded a non-profit public charity called Earth Equilibrium to implement projects and provide community support. Earth Equilibrium's Learning is Change projects help with environmental education in Costa Rican schools. Guests at the Cayuga Collection properties can donate arts and crafts supplies including glue sticks, colored markers, colored pencils, transparent tape, Play-Doh, and other items. A complete wish list can be found here: Earthequilibrium. For more information about the Cayuga Collection of sustainable luxury hotels and lodges, visit their website at Cayugaonline.com.
Additional Resources in Costa Rica:
Pack for a Purpose works with a number of hotels, resorts and accommodations in Costa Rica to positively impact local organizations and communities. Check out the supply lists and drop off points on their website: Pack for a Purpose Costa Rica.