SunBreeze Hotel | Every Stay Gives Back

Total Positive Impact To Date | Membership Since November 2023

4

lunches provided to elementary school child for every $10

100 %

donated to Hope Haven

$ 1

dollar per night goes to Hope Haven

$ 1,453

total funds raised

581

lunches provided for local elementary school children

MIssion

Hope Haven provides shelter, education, medical care, and mental health care within a family setting to ensure children can heal from trauma and lead healthy lives. 

 

Why is it important?

Hope Haven Children’s Home and Community Shelter is the only children's shelter in San Pedro housing abused, neglected or orphaned children. They offer mental health and education services (such as tutoring and literacy) to the children in their care. They also offer emergency placement and outpatient counseling services to victims of domestic violence. Since its official opening as a shelter, Hope Haven has had numerous children staying anywhere from weeks to months at a time in their care. 

San Pedro Town on Ambergris Caye in Belize is host to nearly 25,000 residents, and there is a great need for children and families. 43 percent of Belize’s population lives in poverty. Most families are one emergency away from losing their homes or falling into major debt. Hope Haven is the only children's shelter on the island and hosts the Colleen's Kitchen Food Bank to over 150 women and children, as well as hosts empowerment programs for youth and young women. From providing counseling services to serving hot meals and providing business opportunities, their main goal is to give hope to the community. 

Colleen's Kitchen (formerly San Pedro Food Bank) offers hot meal services twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays to about 150 women and children. These families are registered through Belize Social Services as low-income families and referred to Hope Haven for assistance.  In 2018, they served over 18,000 meals at the San Pedro Food Bank at Hope Haven and look forward to serving just as many, if not more, each year hereinafter. At the food bank, they not only serve food but, more importantly, foster healthy family relationships by providing families with the means to spend time together: reading books, playing games, and by letting Hope Haven get to know more about their lives. Last year, they transitioned 6 families (45 people) out of the food bank program by assisting them with their resume writing and interview skills, allowing for new and/or improved employment opportunities.

How do they do it?

Hope Haven Belize provides care for children who have been abandoned, neglected or sexually and physically abused by their parents or guardians. These children in their care are lovingly raised by house mothers whose mission it is to provide stability, positive attention, guidance, and love to each child in the home. The children are also given the opportunity to return to school and are equipped with all the necessary tools to excel and prepare them for the next chapter of their lives. While in Hope Haven’s care, the children celebrate birthdays, holidays, and their victories. Collectively, the home shares in their victories and milestones while ensuring that they are safe, valued, and prioritized.

Hope Haven’s foster children receive individual and group therapy where they learn to cope and address their trauma. Most of the children are girls who have suffered sexual and/or physical violence at the hands of family members. Hope Haven provides play therapy and talk therapy to the children depending on their age. The children are taught coping mechanisms that include art therapy, breathing techniques, and critical thinking exercises. Each child has a different need, and with each session, the children become more equipped to self-regulate and heal. Additionally, Hope Haven offers support to dozens of adult women who were themselves victims of domestic abuse. 

How you can #TravelKindly:

  • Kind Travelers can sponsor a meal and have lunch or dinner with the children from the home. 
  • Travelers with special skills or talents can run programs with the children; some examples include vacation Bible study, self-defense classes, and financial literacy. 
  • Volunteer at the learning center and provide one-on-one literacy and numerical lessons to the children in the literacy center. On a side note, all volunteers must be cleared by the Belize Department of Human Development. 

 

 

From the Spanish Architectural building surrounded by lush tropical gardens to breathtaking views of the Caribbean Sea, you have arrived in paradise. The hotel directly faces the second largest Barrier Reef in the World, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Seafront oasis boasts a serene and relaxing atmosphere while being mere steps from all the culture, dining, and entertainment of San Pedro. Book directly with The Sunbreeze Hotel and positively impact the local community with the Hope Haven. 

Learn more about the partners

Hope Haven SunBreeze Hotel

Learn more about Kind Traveler's Every Stay Gives Back community impact program