The holiday season is often a time to reflect on the gifts we’ve been given, and to make an effort help those who are less fortunate than us.

For a group of women in Juluchuca, that effort is not limited to the holiday season. They volunteer their time year round at the local Comedor (Soup Kitchen) to serve food to those struggling with poverty and lack of opportunity.  Cooking is an art form and way of self-expression in Juluchuca, so providing a meal to others is no quick task. Volunteers arrive daily around 4:30am to begin the preparations for the morning meal.  Playa Viva is proud to support this community effort.

Playa Viva began partnering with the Comedor in May 2017.  Here are a few of the ways that management, staff and guests have supported the Comedor.

• Weekly volunteer hours
• Food donations
• A new coat of paint for the building
• Building hanging garden made from upcycled plastic bottles to grow fresh herbs and plants to be used in various dishes. 

If any Playa Viva guest is interested in dedicating a morning of their stay to help serve the local community, additional volunteers are always welcome! Any Playa Viva staff member can help you set it up. You’ll be doing good, and you’ll be able to try some of the delicious food made at this humble eatery including atole (a hot rice-based beverage), and traditional rice, beans, soup and pork dishes.

Giving the Comedor a new coat of paint

The Juluchuca Comedor operates Monday – Friday throughout the year since being founded in 2014. A full meal typically costs 5 pesos, which translates $0.25 USD. Meals are free for the volunteers themselves. The majority of the food served is provided by the Mexican government, which delivers the shelf stable ingredients on a monthly basis. The perishable items, such as spices and vegetables, are then picked up by the volunteers, donated or grown on site.

Building a Hanging Garden