El Tablón/CTK
Champions for the Poor, peer-to-peer fundraisers for Food For the Poor, El Tablón
Paul Neville & Nick Matas
December 2025 ~ UPDATE On the Use of Our Generous Donations to El Tablón
This is an update on the almsgiving of the parishioners of Christ The King and St. Anthony’s during this past Lent.
The total raised in both parishes was $63,363.50. This was quite a successful effort especially given the fact that we didn’t have the benefit of matching gifts this past Lent. As a result, 10 new homes were built in the diocese of Suchitepequez along with farms for consumption and selling of produce which included farming supplies and training for the community recipients. As you will see from the project update, this 10 home project was a part of a larger construction project in this diocese which is ongoing.
As always, I can’t thank you enough for supporting these people over the past 8 years. Amazingly, approximately $2 million dollars has been raised in this period between the generosity of Christ the King, St. Anthony’s this past year, and the parishes in North Carolina where my friend Paul Neville has also been making appeals.
A merry and blessed Christmas to all!
Nick Matas
Food For The Poor is one of the largest international relief and development organization in the United States.
Our work is motivated by our faith in God, spreading His unconditional love, regardless of race, wealth, or creed as we minister to the poorest of the poor in 18 countries throughout the Caribbean and Latin America.
By providing lifesaving food, secure housing, clean water, healthcare, emergency relief, micro-enterprise projects and education opportunities, we are giving the poor a chance at a better future, and showing them God’s love. Join us.
November 2024 ~ UPDATE On the Use of Our Generous Donations to El Tablón
Since 2017, the parish of Christ the King has built and renovated over 150 homes in El Tablon, Guatemala, through their generous Lenten almsgiving. This remote Guatemalan highland community, previously without adequate housing, now has hundreds of fruit trees and select families with microeconomics like chicken, pig, and vegetable farms. The parish’s support also made possible smaller projects.
The last Lenten appeal funded the complete renovation of the community’s humble Catholic church and the construction of a unique well project. When we visited in 2017, the church had extensive water damage, ruined flooring, no pews, and a makeshift altar. The recent renovations included a new altar, ambo, presider’s chair, tile floor, and pews modeled after the Duomo in Florence. The church is now a fitting place of worship, and we celebrated Mass there, including a blessing of the new construction.
The well project faced unforeseen problems, delaying the final update to Christ the King. A hydrogeological study revealed the drilling of a 400-foot well with water access points for the community. However, the newly accessed aquifer drained into a deeper 1,400-foot aquifer, causing significant delays, cost overruns, and the need for a new drilling company. Despite these challenges, the project was completed, and the inaugural well startup was witnessed. This deep-water aquifer exceeds the community’s daily water needs and will provide potable water long-term. Testing showed that the well water, before purification, was of higher quality than treated water in Guatemala City. With additional funds, water was piped directly to each family’s home from a centrally constructed water tower and filtration/purification system. This unprecedented access to water, rare in impoverished Central American communities, brought immense joy to the people we’ve come to know and love. The parish, continually in their prayers, is grateful for the generous assistance of Christ The King’s parishioners.
El Tablon, a model community in Guatemala, exemplifies what dedication can achieve. Through consistent almsgiving, this small parish has transformed generations, giving its inhabitants hope and dignity. The community actively participates in these efforts, contributing time and labor to each project. With the support of Fr. Healey and the parish, the commission to serve the poor has flourished.
El Tablón ~ Reaching Beyond our Boarders
“It’s very important for us to not only care for the local poor but also to think beyond our own community, our own borders, and this helps us to do that.”
Fr. Edward Healey, Pastor
Christ the King Parish has been joyfully heeding the call of Paul & Nick’s mission since 2018.
From the beginning we have seen God’s hand in advancing this community, pushing back against the deprivation and tragedy that is an ever-present aspect of daily life in El Tablón. As donors, you are at the forefront of executing God’s plan for these poorest among us. None of what has been accomplished would have been possible without your generous contributions.
Please join us as we embark upon this latest project to raise up the poorest of the poor. This multi-phase project will enable El Tablon to become a truly sustainable community, meeting all basic needs while providing income-generating training to support the community on an ongoing basis. Specifically, 15 impoverished families will receive new homes, latrines, sinks, furniture, and fruit trees. We will address the dire need for potable water in El Tablon. Establish vocational training programs and provide school enhancements to ensure a strong foundation for sustainability.
Paul & Nick
Please note 100% of your donation goes directly to the needy of El Tablón. Your donation is tax deductable.
Accomplishments
Since 2017, with the support of many generous donors, 110 newly-constructed and 34 totally-renovated homes have been built in El Tablón. Additionally, we saw the completion of 10 chicken farms, 6 pig farms, 50 vegetable gardens, planting of 550 fruit trees, and significant repairs to the roof of the community church.
The parish of Christ The King has truly transformed this community
from one of deprivation to a “shining city on a hill”.
