LMV's Latin America chapter, our newest, differs from our other chapters in that it is named not for its US location, but for the region it serves. Based in San Jose, California, but with members all over the continent, Latin America chapter has over 100 members, more than 75% of whom are nurses, physicians, optometrists, or dentists.
Latin America chapter uses commercial airlines, volunteer-piloted small planes, to reach the areas it serves in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and the Dominican Republic. The chapter undertakes two to four trips annually, each lasting eight to ten days. Teams tend to be larger than those participating on our Mexico trips, with anywhere from 15 to 30 volunteers. And for almost all trips, LMV collaborates closely with partner organizations in-country, ranging from local medical professtionals, to medical and dental schools, to Rotary and Lions clubs and international nonprofits like the Free Wheelchair Mission and Airline Ambassadors.
Special Initiatives
Often LMV's service to a community reaches beyond our clinic programs to include special initiatives organized at the chapter level. Latin America chapter's initiatives vary by trip and year, but currently include a Wheelchair Program.
Chapter Partners
Latin America chapter's partners vary by trip and year, but recent partners have included the following:
- Free Wheelchair Mission
- Wheelchair Foundation
- Heart to Heart International Rotary Club of San Jose
- Rotary Club of Sonora, CA Sunrise Chapter
- Rotary Club of Los Angeles
- Rotary Club of Santa Cruz
- Rotary Club of San Salvador
- Rotary Club of Choluteca, Honduras
- Rotary Club of Guatemala
- Lions Club of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala
- Lions Club of Usulatan, El Salvador
- Mayan Medical Aid
- University of San Carlos, Quetzaltenango, Guatemala
- Airline Ambassadors
- Amesol, El Salvador
- San Salvador Medical University, El Salvador
- Spanish Honors Society of Cooper City High School of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
