Christmas 2026: help us bring gifts to the road to Tecpán
Every December 24 since 2014, we leave Antigua, Guatemala at 6:00 am to hand out packages with a toy, a nutritious food item and a toothbrush with toothpaste to the children waiting along the road to Tecpán. You can help by giving through GoFundMe or by donating toys, clothes and shoes.
What happens at the December 24 delivery?
Every December 24 since 2014, we leave Antigua, Guatemala at 6:00 am with family and friends. After an hour and a half on the road to Tecpán, in Chimaltenango, near Iximché, we start finding the children who wait by the roadside. Some of them wait there all through December.
They come in groups of 5 and up to 50 children, and sometimes whole families come. Read the story behind this delivery on Paint smiles for Christmas.
What's in each Christmas package?
- A toy.
- A nutritious food item.
- A toothbrush and toothpaste.
In a recent year we handed out 500 packages and, with donated toys, reached nearly 1,000 gifts.
How can I donate money for Christmas 2026?
The most direct way is the Start with a Smile Project fundraiser on GoFundMe. A volunteer of the project in the United States organizes it, with Amalia Jarquín as co-creator. It's a personal fundraiser and doesn't provide a tax-deductible receipt, because Start with a Smile Project isn't a registered NGO. Questions? See the FAQ.
What can I donate in kind for Christmas?
- New toys, with no toy weapons or war toys.
- Shoes.
- Children's clothes.
- Sweaters and blankets.
- Hygiene items, such as toothbrushes, toothpaste and soap.
For reference, in December 2022 the project asked for children's and adults' shoes (no heels), Incaparina (a fortified corn and soy drink mix), toothbrushes and toothpaste, bar soap, children's clothes, school supplies, stuffed animals, toys that aren't war-themed, sweaters in sizes S and M, food and blankets, as reported by Guatemala.com.
How do I drop off my donation in Antigua?
Write to us through the form, on WhatsApp at +502 5562 3313 or at amaliajarquin@gmail.com, and we'll arrange how to receive it in Antigua, Guatemala. If you're traveling to Guatemala around the holidays, check the How to help packing list to make the most of your suitcase space.
Where can I follow the Christmas campaign?
Campaign updates and photos of the delivery are posted on Facebook and Instagram (@proyectosonrisas.gt). Follow along there to see how Christmas 2026 is going.
Our projects
Help the Community of Las Delicias
The 7 schools are located in the village of Las Delicias Del Jobo, Taxisco, Guatemala, 90 kilometers from the capital.
Paint Smiles for Christmas
The most special time of the year is Christmas, and with it the opportunity to share and bring joy to hundreds of children.
How to help us
Whether through a donation, or because you decide to volunteer, or because you want to stop by while traveling in Guatemala and drop some gift, any help is welcome! #travelwithapurpose
- Travel With a Purpose
- How to help
- Finance our projects