Los Amigos is a faith-based organization dedicated to supporting programs that improve and transform the lives of the poor of Chimbote, Peru.

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Programs & Services

Social Programs

Each year tens of thousands of people in Chimbote receive some sort of assistance from the many social programs that Los Amigos has in place:

Soup kitchens
More than three thousand times per week, a man, woman, or child in Chimbote reaches the front of the line in a soup kitchen and receives a bowl of soup, a plate of rice, and a glass of juice. The cost, about 30 cents per meal, is fully covered by Los Amigos funds. To help save on Los Amigos expenses, economically stable families in Chimbote proudly volunteer as cooks and servers. At a cost of under $60,000 U.S. dollars per year, more than 157,000 beneficiaries are served.

Battered women’s shelter
When women in Chimbote are abused, there is only one shelter in the city to go to--the battered women’s shelter provided by Los Amigos. There, since 2004, women and their children have been provided with a place to live, protection, and psychological counseling. In 2007, the shelter served 30 families.

Legal advocacy
Poverty and injustice are frequent partners—it’s more difficult for the poor to fight for their rights when they can’t pay for legal representation. Los Amigos pays for the cost of sessions between trained lawyers and victims of domestic abuse, housing discrimination, wrongful arrest, and other issues. In 2007, more than 300 residents of Chimbote met with free lawyers provided by Los Amigos to help them with their legal issues.

Wellness program
Los Amigos operates a gym which offers teenagers and adults an opportunity to exercise and improve their quality of life through sports. Often this is a realistic alternative to those who might otherwise choose involvement with alcohol, drugs, or gang membership.  In 2007, an average of 70 people per month took advantage of wellness services.

Emergency assistance
Every day, unexpected needs arise among the poor of Chimbote—money for transportation to get a sick family member to the hospital, money to buy potable water or cooking oil when a theft drains the family cash, money to pay for an unexpected school bill—and families almost never have a safety net to pay. Social workers employed through Los Amigos evaluate families’ needs and provide the short-term funds they need to survive. In 2007, social workers granted requests for short-term assistance from more than 13,000 families.