Welcome to the new COAR Peace Mission website!
Who We Are
Welcome to COAR! We are:
What We Do
Strengthening the local community for over 45 years
COAR Peace Mission was born from St. Romero’s call to serve the most vulnerable.
Founded in 1980, just after his martyrdom during El Salvador’s civil war, COAR continues St. Romero’s transformational vision of peace, justice, and dignity for all people.
Our work is implemented by local childhood development experts in El Salvador with support from a small leadership team affiliated with the Diocese of Cleveland.
Our Approach
A trusted partner with real community roots
- Locally based
- Community centered
- A proven history
- Faith led
COAR is and always has been a locally based initiative serving people within its own community.
Our work in El Salvador is implemented by local Salvadoran experts in child care, and is administered in collaboration with Archbishop Escobar and others at the Archdiocese of San Salvador.
COAR is deeply woven into the fabric of Zaragoza, not as a visitor but as a neighbor who’s been here for more than four decades.
Our work is influenced and supported by the community we serve, and the COAR School serves both COAR Children’s Village residents and local children from Zaragoza.
COAR has been present in Zaragoza since 1980 through civil war, peace, and everything in between. Across our history, we’ve adapted in ways big and small in order to keep our doors open, all the while prioritizing the safety, security, and well-being of our children.
Our 45+ years of unbroken commitment starts with St. Óscar Romero himself.
Everything we do flows from the Gospel values of justice, community, and peace.
From the classes in our school to the extracurriculars in our residential home, our work is guided by the same faith that inspired St. Óscar Romero to stand with the vulnerable until his last day.
Our Impact
A resilient community made stronger with your support
1,100+
K–12 students enrolled
at the COAR School
3,000+
Children sheltered
at the Children’s Village since 1980
45
Years of service
in the name of St. Romero
Get Involved with COAR
St. Óscar Romero stood with this community. So do we.
For over 45 years, COAR has stood with this community through everything. Your gift keeps that commitment going.
Donations go toward essentials like:
- School tuition scholarships
- Essential school supplies
- Fresh, nutritious meals for COAR residents
- Living wages for COAR Children’s Village staff
- Upkeep of COAR facilities