Padre Angel opened his first shelter in 1969 for homeless boys living on the streets of La Garita, a poor neighborhood on the outskirts of Acapulco.

His first shelter was tiny and lacked electric power.  At first, he cared for just 4 boys – three of whom are today successful professionals.  His charges helped earn money by selling magazines and household articles on the streets of Acapulco.

Amigos established its first relationship with Padre Angel in 1971, when it made a grant to support the construction of a vocational trades school that he organized.  Over the years, The Friends of Acapulco has sponsored a series of Padre Angel’s youth initiatives.
  
 
In 1979,  the Padre Angel Home for Boys moved to its current location in Granjas del Marquez.
The facility is situated on the lagoon side of the main highway that leads to the Airport – opposite the Princess Hotel.   The Friends of Acapulco helped to fund the initial construction by outfitting the kitchen facilities.
  linea
  marsh  
The Home for Boys sits on 18 acres with a gated entrance.   It is equipped with basketball court, swimming pool and chapel.   Fruit and vegetables are grown behind the main building.

The land itself was donated by Doña Soledad Orozco de Avila Camacho, the wife of a former President of Mexico.

In 1993,  Padre Angel realized his dream of establishing a home exclusively for girls.
The Padre Angel Home for Girls is operated by the Sisters of Charity and is located in Caleta.
The dual homes help to preserve family ties by allowing brothers and sisters to remain close to one another.
  During the last three years, Amigos has contributed money for the following:

    * The purchase a new industrial-size kitchen stove
    * The replacement of a leaking water pipe
    * Waterproofing for the Girls’ Home in Caleta
    * The purchase of Christmas gifts for the children.
  linea
 

In February 2005,  Amigos agreed to underwrite Padre Angel’s latest initiative –  a breeding farm for ostriches.
The ostriches will be bred and sold for their meat and feathers.  The revenue thus generated with help support the Home for Boys.   The birds will be raised by the boys themselves – who will learn, in the process, how to manage a business enterprise.  

“The Friends of Acapulco has always been with us.  Whenever we have asked for assistance,  they have responded promptly and generously,” Padre Angel,  now age 78,  said in a recent interview.

     home marsh
 

The Padre Angel Home for Boys operates with just two paid employees.  The day-to-day work is done by the boys themselves, each of whom has assigned chores.  The teaching of self-reliance and self-sufficiency has been a common theme in all of Padre Angel’s youth programs.

The children are taught personal hygiene, good manners and religious beliefs as well as self-sufficiency.
Many of his former residents have gone on to successful careers.   Rene Juarez Cisneros, the just retired Governor of the State of Guerrero, was himself at one time in the charge of Padre Angel. 

The Boys and Girls Homes are administered jointly – under the formal name of Granja Hogar Para el Niño La Providencia A.C.

Monsignor Angel Martinez Galeana – better known as Padre Angel – is much admired by the people of Acapulco.   Through his social work, he has touched the lives of hundreds of disadvantaged children.   Monsignor Angel also served as Rector of Cristo Rey Church on Avenida Universidad.

“For the last 35 years,  Padre Angel has enriched the lives of so many young people.  We are delighted to maintain our financial support for his noble and distinguished work,” said Marilú Baca,  Chairperson of the Friends of Acapulco Orphanage Funding Committee.

During the inspections that the Board of Directors of the Friends of Acapulco made to these homes – boys and girls –it was detected a major problem because the property for boys did not have any fence or protection.  The Friends of Acapulco decided to build the fence to prevent this condition and protect the home from robberies and land invaders.

This Home has two different properties, one for boys and one for girls.  The boys section needed protection, therefore, Friends of Acapulco provided them with a fence for security.

We also provided four water tanks for the girls’ home.