Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Last week the California-based nonprofit "Hand Me Ups" visited PEACE in Punta Mita. Hand Me Ups volunteers helped out in many ways, but their trip focused on improvements to PEACE’s Casa Campesina and Alternative School.

Hand Me Ups, directed by Kurt Narmore, provides brand new clothing to underprivileged youth who are used to receiving well worn “hand me downs.” The organization aims to enhance feelings of self-worth and purpose among young people, by working with philanthropic clothing brands and manufacturers who donate new, unsold clothing items.

Hand Me Ups works with a number of organizations in the distribution of these clothes. These partners are hand chosen and are limited to those who “specialize in helping kids reach their full potential. These partners know the communities in which they work and help us ensure that the youth of tomorrow receive the new clothing they need in a manner that maintains dignity and fosters economic development.”

Hand Me Ups has worked with a number of organizations in the United States, such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of America; their partnership with PEACE Mexico has made their message and efforts international.

Each day this week volunteers gathered at the Casa Campesina Alternative School to help with the painting and construction efforts; it was truly an international effort, with volunteers from all over the US, Mexico, Canada, and even Spain!

The Hand Me Ups team, having accomplished some notable fundraising back home, covered the cost of the necessary painting and construction supplies. The Casa Campesina was given a fresh coat of paint (inside and out) and the Hand Me Ups crew and other volunteers painted several great murals on the outside walls.

They also improved the lighting inside the building with some electrical work, rebuilt the school bookshelves to hold more weight, created an announcement bulletin board, added more seating with new chairs and couches, painted the Alternative School desks, and installed a flag pole.

On Friday, the project was declared to be complete; the PEACE and Hand Me Ups teams celebrated with a flag rising and ribbon cutting ceremony after some words of thanks by Molly Fisher, Nova Pennison, and Ali Elias of PEACE.

The Alternative School students were excited to see the finished project after watching the work of the volunteers all week and seemed to get a real kick out of their new and improved school. The kids thanked the Hand Me Ups team and the rest of the volunteers individually for their hard work at the school where the painting, electrical, and decor improvements will be greatly appreciated in the months ahead.

PEACE, (Protection, Education, Animals, Culture, Environment) established in 2005, is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization made up of three main programs which focus on education, animal well-being, and environmental protection in the Bay of Banderas, Nayarit, Mexico. PEACE works hand-in-hand with communities in Mexico to provide holistic education, combined with community action programs that enable people to improve their quality of life as well as their financial stability.

For more information, please visit PeaceMexico.org,or
click HERE to read more about PEACE