Don Bosco Foundation launches new residence 

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Foundation launched a new family residence known as Casa Pinardi in Santiago, Chile. The new house was opened in August and already has 19 adults and children living there. Casa Pinardi recently held an event to showcase the new facility.

At the event, Claudio Chávez, development director of the Don Bosco Foundation, welcomed representatives from the Regional Ministerial Secretary of Social and Family Development, the Municipality of Padre Hurtado, and the presidential delegation of the Province of Talagante. A formal ceremony at the event began with a tour of the facilities.

Fr. Victor Mora, president of the Don Bosco Foundation, thanked representatives from the Ministerial Secretary of Social and Family Development, for their contribution and joint work. He said, “I am grateful for the presence of the authorities because this is a sign that working together is more fruitful. May this place be a home for families, a home where they can meet and be formed.”

Alesio Castillo, a Venezuelan migrant and resident of Casa Pinardi, who lived on the streets with his family, expressed how grateful he is for the program. “I used to sleep in the squares with my two children and my wife. This foundation has given us a hand. This space feels like a home.”

Patricia Hidalgo, from the Ministerial Secretary of Social and Family Development, said, “We already knew the human quality of the foundation team. Thank you for having faith in us and our methodologies, you are our allies. We have to make these synergistic alliances so that the children of our country grow up happy, and we have to give their parents the opportunity then as well.”

Casa Pinardi joins other Don Bosco Foundation houses like the Cardenal Silva Henríquez family residence. These homes are temporary shelters for families living on the streets that provide them access to psychosocial support, training, and help in finding stable housing.

According to the World Bank, Chile has a fairly low poverty rate of less than 10 percent. However, Chile struggles with high rates of income and education inequality. Salesian missionaries working in Chile focus their efforts on providing education and social services to poor and at-risk youth. At Salesian schools, universities and youth centers throughout the country, youth can access an education as well as the skills and resources necessary to break the cycle of poverty.

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Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

ANS – Chile – “Fundación Don Bosco” inaugurates new family residence in “Padre Hurtado” district

Salesian Missions – Chile

World Bank – Chile