(formerly the John Gullo Home for Children)
When a family faces a medical crisis, children are often the ones left without care.
The El Cardonal Children’s Home provides a safe, temporary home for children whose families are navigating a medical situation.
Located in El Cardonal, Baja California Sur, the home allows parents to focus on treatment and recovery while their children are cared for in a safe and loving home.
Why is this home needed?
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200% increase in poverty.
In recent years, poverty among women and children in Baja California Sur has risen dramatically. Many families facing medical crises simply have no safe place for their children during treatment.
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Women often travel for care.
Specialized medical care is concentrated in a few cities. When mothers must travel for treatment, they often have no choice but to leave their children behind.
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Few Safety Nets Exist
Public systems provide limited support for families facing medical crises. Community-based solutions like El Cardonal Children’s Home help fill this gap.
*Select “El Cardonal Children’s Home (formerly the John Gullo Home For Children)” from the giving menu
The Story
The idea for the El Cardonal Children’s Home began with a story that was difficult to forget.
A local family shared the experience of a single mother of five who was forced to leave four of her children behind while seeking medical treatment for her youngest son. Like many families living in the outskirts of Los Cabos, she faced extreme poverty and had few options for care.
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Her son required regular medical treatments located more than two hours away. Traveling this distance by bus with a severely ill child was exhausting and costly. With no safe place for her other children, she was forced to leave them in the care of neighbors in the community while she traveled for treatment.
During those periods, the children often missed school and struggled to meet their basic needs.
Tragically, her son eventually passed away.
But the question her story left behind was one we could not ignore:
What happens to the children when a family faces a medical crisis?
Across Baja California Sur, families frequently travel long distances for specialized medical care. When a parent or child becomes seriously ill, children are often left behind with relatives, neighbors, or anyone willing to help.
The El Cardonal Children’s Home was created to provide another option.
Today, the home offers a safe, temporary place where children can live while their families focus on medical treatment and recovery. During their stay, children receive meals, attend school, and live in a stable and caring environment until they can return home.
Today, the El Cardonal Children’s Home exists so that no family has to face that situation alone.
Who will operate the home?
The home is operated by Líderes Para Dar A.C., a Mexican nonprofit created to support vulnerable families in Baja California Sur.
Leaders2Give, a U.S. nonprofit, helped launch the project and continues to support its development through fundraising, partnerships, and oversight.
Day-to-day operations are led locally by experienced staff who work directly with families and community partners.
El Cardonal
El Cardonal offers a quiet, supportive environment where children can feel safe and cared for while their families navigate medical treatment.
Located within reach of hospitals in Los Cabos and La Paz, the community provides both accessibility and stability.
The home is deeply integrated into the local community, ensuring children receive not only care but also a sense of belonging.
The Home
The children’s home includes four buildings designed for safety and comfort:
• Boys’ dormitory (12 beds)
• Girls’ dormitory (12 beds)
• Shared kitchen and dining area
• Caregiver apartments and offices
It also includes a playground and a vegetable garden.
It was designed to feel like a home, not an institution.
Current Priorites
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Support the daily operations of the home so children receive safe care, meals, and stability while their families face medical treatment.
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Strengthen partnerships with hospitals and community organizations so families who need support can find the home.
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Deepen relationships with local communities through grassroots outreach and collaboration with local leaders to build trust and awareness.
Support the Home
Donations help provide daily care, meals, education support, and safe housing for children whose families are facing medical crises. All funds are directed toward the operation and sustainability of the El Cardonal Children’s Home.
Every contribution helps ensure that children have a safe place to stay while their families focus on healing.
Select “El Cardonal Children’s Home (formerly the John Gullo Home for Children)” from the giving menu.