Albuergue Infantil Josefino

A shelter for orphaned and abandoned children

Excited children receive gifts from U.S. visitors

The Albergue Infantil Josephino is a shelter that provides a home, loving care, and education to orphaned or abandoned children from throughout the state of Oaxaca. The children range in age from toddlers to teenagers.

The Albuergue is the product of more than twenty years of dedicated work by a group of local Oaxacan women. With the help of a grant of a building site from the State and a lot of support and hard work, they've been able to create a large, clean, and comfortable facility for the fifty to sixty children they are usually caring for.

We've spent time at the orphanage, and trusted friends of ours serve on the board and  volunteer there, so we can vouch for the high quality of care that the Albuergue and its dedicated staff provide to these beautiful but very needy children.

Click on photo for slideshow

You can view a slideshow of a recent visit to the Albuergue by some generous couples from the U.S. by clicking here or on the picture above.

You can get more of an idea of these children's lives at the Albuergue, and in the communities they come from, here.

If you are in Oaxaca and would like to donate to the Albuegue, take a taxi to the shelter at Cuitlahuoc #102, Colonia Ixcotel. Their phone number is 513 5700. They will be happy to accept cash or a donation of children's clothing, toys, art materials, books, etc.

You would be surprised at how much joy you can bring to these children simply by bringing a suitcase full of clothes and other things they need with you to Oaxaca.

The staff do not speak English, but several board members do, and will be glad to help coordinate a visit to the shelter. It's a very moving experience.

In the U.S., a check can be made out to the Albuergue Infantil Josefino, and sent to board member Gretchen Wirtz, 1640 East 50th St. #21, Chicago, IL 60615-3279.