What is The Shalom Foundation?
The Shalom Foundation is a faith based, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to providing charitable medical and surgical care for children ages 0-17. Our patients are children living in extreme poverty from across Guatemala. Without The Shalom Foundation, these children would go untreated.
The Shalom Foundation is funded through personal donations, corporate contributions, foundation grants and special event fundraisers. Contributions to The Shalom Foundation are tax deductible. Contributions made to The Shalom Foundation go directly to support life-changing medical care for impoverished children.
History of The Shalom Foundation
It was in 1991 when now chairman and founder of The Shalom Foundation, Steve Moore, traveled to Guatemala on a mission trip with his church. So profoundly touched and moved by the people he met on his journey, Steve returned home transformed and realized a new purpose for his life. God had opened his heart to Guatemala.
"We all make a living by what we get.
But honestly, if you want to make a life, it's by what you give." -Steve Moore
Things simply snowballed from there as the organization grew and The Shalom Foundation’s goodwill spread wider and wider.
Throughout its history, The Shalom Foundation has built homes and schools, provided education sponsorships, installed clean water systems, and much more for the people of Guatemala. However, it was after meeting a young girl named Ana when the Foundation’s mission became clear. Ana had been caught in the crossfire of a gang fight - a type of incident that is not uncommon in those parts - and would be left to live with her injuries and pain for the rest of her life. Ana’s story shed more light onto the conditions in which many Guatemalan children live and inspired a clear vision for the Foundation: to provide critical medical care to underprivileged children.
In 2011, we opened the doors to The Moore Pediatric Surgery Center in Guatemala City, improving our abilities to cleanly, safely, and effectively change the lives of children who need it. Since its inception, The Moore Center has provided healing and hope to over 3,000 children and has hosted volunteer medical and surgical teams from all across the US.
Why Guatemala?
"People ask me why I chose Guatemala. The truth of the matter is,
I didn't choose Guatemala. God chose Guatemala for me."
- Steve Moore, Founder & Chairman
After traveling to Guatemala on a mission trip with his church, Steve’s eyes and heart were opened to the poverty in which many Guatemalans live.
Guatemala is the most densely populated country in Central America and also the youngest, with almost half the population under the age of 19. The distribution of income remains highly unequal with the richest 20% of the population accounting for more than 51% of Guatemala's overall consumption. What’s worse, an incredible 59% of people live below the poverty line and 23% of the population lives in extreme poverty.
The healthcare system of Guatemala is so broken that critical medical care is widely unavailable to the 59% below the poverty line; only 9.3 physicians are available per 10,000 people.
These statistics reinforce the need for The Shalom Foundation’s presence in Guatemala and reinforce the value in and the importance of The Moore Center. Through the Center, we are able to provide surgeries and give hope to the families who need it the most.
