In the early twentieth century, many children lost their parents due to an outbreak of Bubonic Plague that was brought on a passenger ship and infected the local population while the ship was in Mazatlán. Fortunately for the children, there was a woman who stood out among the citizenry of Mazatlán whose empathy for the orphaned children led her to organize efforts to help them. Her name was Romanita de la Peña de Careaga and she initiated a plan to establish an orphanage for these children.
In 1915 construction of the first wing of Orfanatorio de Mazatlan began. The land was donated by German Evers, a philanthropic businessman, who placed the cornerstone of the larger building. Construction continued until 1926 with donations and all kind of fundraisers. In 1926 the Orfanatorio opened it doors legally under the law as a “Junta de Beneficencia.” This law no longer exists.
 
Romanita was the president of the Board until 1958 when she died. Her first treasurer was Amelia Holderness de Farber, great-grandmother of Cristina Peña. Since then many presidents of the Board of Directors have passed by, including Amelia Farber de Peña in 1967 who was the grandmother of our current President, Cristina Peña de Herrera.
With the new Board which took responsibility for the Orphanage in June 2003 with Cristina as President, the legal designation changed to I.A.P. which means “Institution of Private Assistance”.
 
Under this designation, the Institution is obligated to have a transparent use of the money that is received from donations as well as efficient accounting that is shown to the public in an Annual Report.
Many things have changed within a year with the great help of a lot of donors and wonderful people that have made some of our dreams come true, and those are to have decent home for the girls, and a treatment full of dignity in their lives. Good food and education for the future are also one of our concerns, as well as to give them the opportunity to have a better future.
Last year, with the great help of HANDS ACROSS THE BORDERS, Helen McIssac BINGO, El Cid Golf Club, and the great coordination with Arq. and Lenda McKay, the roof of one of the dormitories was reconstructed, new fans were installed and the new girls´ dormitory was painted. This gave us the opportunity to have an extra playroom at the facility.
This year with the great help of FRONTIER AIRLINES (headed by Tom Nunn and Cathy Miller) and also in coordination with Arq. and Lenda Mckay, the major problems of the building were solved, like the electrical rewiring of the whole facility, the remodeling of the perimeter wall, painting and furniture in the babies´ room, new fans, new refrigerator, new stove, 2 new washing machines and 2 new security doors, as well as many other things that would need a whole page to describe.
Frontier Airline employees working in the kitchen.
Frontier Airlines employees working in the dining room.
Anyhow, Orfanatorio de Mazatlan has other projects for the future, like the repair of all the carpentry, and for that we are soliciting donations that can be made to:
 
ORFANATORIO DE MAZATLAN is located at:
Zaragoza 227-A Centro, Mazatlan, Sin. 82000
Tel. 981-22-14 From U.S.A. 011-52-669-981-22-14
And you are welcome to visit us, Rafaela or Diana may help you with any questions.
 
To receive donations: You can write checks to Orfanatorio de Mazatlan, or cash deposits directly to the bank Account: Acc. No. Santander: 65501462211 Orfanatorio de Mazatlan I.A.P.
 
Please let us know of such donations to: orfamaz@hotmail.com
You can visit our official web page: www.orfamaz.org
 
Or you can contact direct to the Board to:
Cristina Peña de Herrera: tintesytintas@hotmail.com
Consuelo Elizondo de Virissimo: joseychelo50@hotmail.com consuelo.virissimo@hotmail.com
 
Donations are accepted at the Pacific Pearl Office, Av. Camarón Sábalo No. 1000L4 (behind Farmacia Moderna) in the Golden Zone
Consuelo Elizondo, Cathy Miller and Lenda Mckay.
Mayor Ricardo Ramirez with Tom Nunn
 
 
DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE IN MEXICO