Who can I contact if I would like to help support the orphanage?
If you would like to support the orphanage you can contact the following people:
For individual and/or group support with building, fundraising, etc. please contact: John Shinsky, Project Leader through email at john@shinskyorphanage.org.
Where do the orphans go to school?
The orphans attend public school in Mexico just like their peers in the community, however, we continue to offer tutorial support for the children to help them catch up on the education they did not receive in their previous living situation.
What is the capacity of the orphanage?
The goal of the orphanage is to serve 140 children with approximately 16 adults who would work as house parents, maintenance staff, medical personnel, technical and vocational training staff, an education tutor, a teacher of English, an administrator and executive director. Several of these staff are part time employees.
Does the orphanage have to operate under certain standards?
Yes. The orphanage must comply with the standards that are defined by the State System for the Full Development of the Family (Desarrollo Integral de la Familia, or DIF)
Can I adopt a child from the orphanage?
Our primary service is to provide our children a safe home, family, and support that will equip them to become successful community members. Therefore, adoption is not an option for our children. Currently, we have partnered with Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH) International that is a Christian mission that strives to provide a permanent family and home for orphaned, abandoned and other at-risk children who live in conditions of extreme poverty. NPH strongly believes that we are a family and that our children are truly brothers and sisters for a lifetime.
What are the primary expenses of the orphanage?
The primary expenses of the orphanage include, food, clothing, toiletries, cleaning solutions, electricity, water, building maintenance, vehicle upkeep, gas for transportation, health and medical services when not donated, school clothing and materials, technology, and vocational training programs.
How does the orphanage survive financially?
The orphanage is funded totally by donations, contributions of food, clothing, materials and equipment. John and Cindy Shinsky have set up a Charitable Endowment that is designed to provide a foundation for long-term support of the orphanage. However, the primary means of support is through the generosity of individuals and/or donations from individuals, businesses, churches, groups, and/or organizations.
How is the orphanage funded?
There is no formal funding source for the orphanage. All funding for the orphanage is provided through donations. However, the orphanage board of directors continues to work on strategies to develop an endowment for the orphanage that would ensure its existence in perpetuity.
How do the orphans get placed at the orphanage?
Children are placed by referral through the Department for the Integration of Families (DIF). In several cases, children are abandoned in the community or at the DIF, and will be officially placed through the DIF process.
How many buildings will the orphanage have?
The orphanage will open with 12 buildings on site. A descriptions of the buildings follow.
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1 dorm for babies & young children
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3 dorms for girls
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3 dorms for boys
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1 Admissions and Medical Building
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1 Warehouse and Maintenance Building
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1 Technical Training Center
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1 Technical Training Center
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1 Director’s House, which also is available for children with special needs who require short-term care.