Partner Spotlight: SNAP (Spay, Neuter & Prevention)
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In many East Cape communities, the need for spay and neuter services is clear. The harder part is access.
Many families care deeply about their animals, but getting them to a clinic isn’t always possible. Distance, transportation, and cost can all stand in the way.
That's exactly the gap SNAP (Spay, Neuter & Prevention) has been working to close since 2013. In that time, they've performed over 9,000 free sterilization surgeries across 10 communities in Baja California Sur — many with no paved roads and no veterinary services of any kind.
When they bring clinics to these communities, they set up wherever they can: school classrooms, playgrounds, open fields. Their volunteers and veterinarians make it work — but it's a testament to dedication, not resources.
Now, they're taking a significant step forward.
SNAP is acquiring a mobile surgical trailer that will allow them to bring safe, dedicated clinic space directly into the most remote communities across the East Cape — no more makeshift setups, no more asking families without transportation to travel long distances with their animals. The clinic comes to them.
This trailer will…
Safely house animals during recovery.
Expand capacity to serve more pets & communities.
Transport essential equipment for field operations
Their current fundraising goal is $14,000 USD, which will go toward the medical equipment and trailer setup needed to safely house animals during recovery, support an additional veterinarian, and transport supplies for field work.
It's a practical solution to a very real problem: access. When services are closer, more animals get spayed and neutered. When that happens, the cycle of overpopulation slows. And when that slows, the ripple effects are felt across entire communities.
For us at Leaders2Give, this work fits squarely within our mission to support vulnerable communities. SNAP isn't just helping animals — they're supporting families and children too. Through education programs and community outreach, they teach responsible pet care, prevention, and compassion.
That means fewer stray animals, healthier pets, and safer environments for kids to grow up in. It also means families who care deeply about their animals finally have access to the help they've been missing.
We've seen firsthand the consistency and care SNAP brings to this work. This next step simply allows them to do more of it — and reach places they haven't been able to reach before.
This is a one-time capital campaign. Every dollar goes directly toward getting this trailer operational and into the field.
Click the DONATE NOW button below to contribute. If donating by PayPal or credit card, be sure to select SNAP from the dropdown menu.
Thank you for supporting the work happening across our partner community.
We’re proud to be part of a growing community of partners who are making a difference. Keep reading below for updates from our partners.
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PARTNER UPDATES
El Cardonal Children’s Home
The El Cardonal Children’s Home (formerly John Gullo Home for Children) provides temporary shelter for children in BCS whose families are experiencing medical crises. Read the latest update below:
CARD continued building its network of support this month through outreach in both La Paz and Los Cabos. In La Paz, Belén visited Cáritas Catedral, the Brigidas convent, and San Martín de Porres Church, sharing information about the home and opening the door to future referrals from groups that regularly support vulnerable families.
These conversations reinforced something the team is learning more and more: often it is the lay groups and community-based ministries, not just formal institutions, that are closest to families in need.
Later in the month, the team participated in the 1st Los Cabos Associations Fair, where they connected with dozens of organizations and government representatives, including groups focused on food security, women’s services, mental health, legal support, and citizen assistance. These new relationships continue to expand CARD’s referral network and help more people across Baja California Sur become aware of the home and its mission.
New Creation Kids (NCK) Children’s Home
New Creation Kids is a children’s home in La Paz providing safe, stable shelter for children whose families are facing serious challenges such as addiction and homelessness. Read about our involvement with the home below:
As many of you know, NCK has been with us since the very beginning and continues to hold a special place in our journey. Operated by Roberto and Alma Osuna, this independent, registered Mexican nonprofit provides a safe and stable home for up to 30 children at a time.
Children whose parents are unable or unfit to care for them due to circumstances such as addiction, violence, or homelessness.
While Leaders2Give does not oversee NCK’s operations, we help fund essential daily needs like food, electricity, education, fuel, and water. Our involvement also includes stepping in for urgent capital improvements like when we installed cisterns to help address water shortages in 2021.
Thanks to your generosity, we currently have enough funding to cover their basic needs for the year. That said, the needs at NCK are ongoing and often unpredictable. If you’d like to help cover the cost of essentials like water deliveries or meals, please consider making a donation. Just $25 can support one child for ten days.
The East Cape Health Center
The East Cape Health Center is a nonprofit clinic in Los Barriles offering full medical and dental services with discounted or free care for families in need. Read their latest update below:
East Cape Functional Health: Progress Toward a Comprehensive Wellness Model:
Over the past two months, intensive efforts have been dedicated to the opening and launch of East Cape Functional Health, a new healthcare space focused on promoting a preventive, comprehensive, and holistic model of care centered on patients’ overall well-being.
As part of this process, work was carried out to prepare the facilities, establish operational planning, and assemble a qualified professional team capable of delivering specialized care under high standards of quality and attention.
The vision behind this project has been to develop a center that not only addresses specific healthcare needs, but also fosters a culture of prevention and physical, mental, and emotional balance. Among the initial services introduced in this new phase are hyperbaric chamber therapies, offered through different session modalities, as well as intravenous (IV) therapies, integrated as part of a complementary approach aimed at strengthening health and supporting patients’ overall recovery. These services represent the beginning of a broader range of offerings that will continue to expand as the project becomes further established.
The opening of East Cape Functional Health marks an important step in East Cape Health Center’s institutional commitment to expanding care options focused on comprehensive health, incorporating innovative therapeutic tools supported by specialized professionals and guided by a vision centered on the responsible care of each patient.
SNAP - Spay, Neuter, and Prevention
SNAP offers free spay/neuter services for the local community in and around Los Barriles, BCS and promotes youth leadership through animal welfare education. Read their latest update below:
SNAP Grows Its Team — and Looks Ahead with Gratitude
Five years ago this month, we took the reins of SNAP Los Barriles with a simple but powerful mission: to improve animal welfare across the East Cape through spay and neuter education and community clinics. What began as a small, scrappy program has grown into something neither of us could have fully imagined — and that growth is a testament to this community's incredible heart.
As SNAP enters this exciting new chapter, we are thrilled to announce that it is also expanding its leadership team.
Welcome, Sally Inglis!
Sally came to Los Barriles the way many of us do — following an adventure that turned into a calling. Originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, she and her spouse sold their business and everything they owned in 2023, and set off in a truck camper across the USA, Western Canada, and the Baja Peninsula. Los Barriles is where they landed, and where Sally found her people.
She already gives generously to this community through her volunteer work with Cortez Rescue & Outreach and her board role with Crescent Moon. When she heard about SNAP, she didn't hesitate for a moment.
In her new role, Sally will take the lead on daily operations — organizing volunteers and supplies for community clinics, spreading the word about SNAP's work throughout the region, and supporting fundraising initiatives that keep this program running. We'll remain at the helm, and together with Sally, the team is stronger than ever.
We are so grateful for five years of community support, and even more excited about what comes next. With Sally by our side, SNAP's best days are ahead. Please join us in welcoming Sally to the team.
Crescent Moon Project - Art for Children
Crescent Moon Project offers free arts-based classes that spark creativity and help children grow into compassionate, community-focused leaders. Read their latest update below:
TALENT THAT TRANSCENDS: CRESCENT MOON PROJECT PRIDE
We are proud to celebrate several of our Crescent Moon Project high school artists for their outstanding participation in the 2026 Municipal Art and Culture Competition, held recently at the Colegio de Estudios Científicos y Tecnológicos Los Planes campus.
Our students rose to the challenge, competing alongside exceptional talent from schools across the municipality of La Paz. It was a day where dedication, countless hours of practice, and artistic sensitivity came to life in every stroke.
We extend special congratulations to:
● Samuel Tirado – 3rd Place, Municipal Drawing Competition
Samuel’s ability to communicate profound ideas through graphite left a lasting impression. Congratulations on this well-earned achievement! Here is the commentary Samuel included with his painting:
ARTIST'S CREDENTIAL: DRAWING WHAT THE WORLD BROKE
TIRADO TREJO SAMANTHA KARINHA (SAMUEL)
This work explores the vulnerability of childhood in the context of armed conflict, situated within the historical framework of World War II. The central motif is a girl who, surrounded by desolation, attempts to reconstruct her reality by drawing a family on the dust of broken glass. This act symbolizes the universal yearning for security and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of chaos. The drawing incorporates powerful elements: the fragmented glass represents a world broken by the ambition for domination; in the background, the ruins and fallen symbols allude to the collapse of ideologies of hate. The figure of the faceless soldier, whose hand looms like a constant threat, personifies the dehumanization and abuse of power that robs children of their environment and their families. My intention is to invite the jury to reflect on the invisible scars of war and the importance of protecting innocence as humanity's most precious resource.
The work was created using pencil on paper, with graphite used to create an atmosphere of heaviness and nostalgia. Chiaroscuro was employed to establish a hierarchy of planes: a detailed close-up of the girl's face to convey her anguish, set against a blurred background representing the ruined city. A texturing technique was applied to differentiate the transparency of the glass, the opacity of the dust, and the rigidity of the rubble.
● Melanie Fuentes and Jazmin Valladares – Honorable Mentions in Painting
Their strong technique and powerful visual storytelling in acrylics reflect true dedication and artistic voice.
These young artists from Los Barriles represent the voice of a thoughtful and engaged generation. Beyond the recognition of their artistic talent, we celebrate their courage to explore important themes such as water conservation, environmental stewardship, peace, and the protection of our marine ecosystem.
Thank you to the parents and teachers who supported them, and especially to Crescent Moon Project instructor Erika Yasmin Meraz for her guidance and commitment.
Let’s continue to uplift art and culture in our youth!
Wonderland for Kids Sponsorship Program
Wonderland for Kids is a bilingual Montessori and childcare center in Los Barriles offering a Sponsorship Program to help low income families access affordable childcare. Read their latest update below:
Celebrating Childhood and Community: A Joyful End to April
Wonderland for Kids wrapped up April with a joyful celebration of Día del Niño, bringing a full week of Disney-themed fun to life. Children enjoyed Crazy Hair Day, dressed as their favorite Disney characters, stayed active with exercise day, relaxed during movie day, and ended the week with a memorable pool party.
As temperatures rise and summer approaches, many families face a challenge. With public schools closed and the heat keeping children indoors, days can quickly become long and unstimulating.
Wonderland for Kids remains committed to staying open all summer, providing a safe, engaging space where children can continue learning, playing, and socializing.
Through Leaders2Give, sponsors can make a direct impact by supporting a child’s attendance for $500 per month. This sponsorship gives children access to a nurturing environment during the hottest months of the year.
Together, we can ensure every child has a summer filled with growth, connection, and joy
To learn about the different ways to donate to Leaders2Give and any of our Partners, visit our Donate page.