COAR

Summer Fun 2022

Padre Vladimir with grade school representatives

The COAR teens recite prayers and wishes for the World Day of Peace. Archbishop Escobar watches (under that big yellow arrow). Monica is baptized, surrounded by her COAR family Cleaning: Monica returns to daily (gloriously ordinary, lifegiving, and safe) life St. Romero’s Birthday celebrated at the school – Aug. 15th

March 2022 – Executive Director’s Reflections & News from El Salvador

Watercolor original by: Marie Spaeder Haas

The Last Shall Be First – Remembering Raul, continued (<==Continued from the main obituary and pictures.) This was an email that I sent to a donor just after I learned of Raul’s death. It is my message to all of you, too: He was rushed to the hospital on December 30th with chest pains but […]

Bishop Pilla’s Legacy

Remembering Bishop Emeritus of Cleveland Anthony M. Pilla November 12, 1932 – September 21, 2021 Bishop Pilla’s Legacy with COAR: “Come with me on a pilgrimage of hope” Watch Bishop’s Pilla’s full speech at our 2017 Annual Benefit here (10 minutes) COAR joins in mourning the death and celebrating the life of Bishop Emeritus of […]

Exciting Podcast on COAR’s past & future

Podcast on COAR's past and future

In the September episode of the Generative Spirits Rachel Drotar of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland speaks to Sr. Sheila Marie Tobbe, OSU, and Mary Stevenson, Executive Director of COAR, about the mission and history of COAR and how its connection to Cleveland has lasted for decades.  We invite you to listen to […]

Solidarity in these divided times

Whenever we have visitors at COAR, the students (in the school) and the residents (living at COAR in foster care) thrill, delight, and overwhelm us with their generosity of spirit and their creativity in signs, decorations, hand-crafted gifts, and culinary confections.  Really, it is a wonderful experience to be enveloped by their youth, exuberance, and […]

Looking Toward the Future . . .

. . . empowered by examples from the past Pictured above is Brother Mick Joyce, OFM Cap., visiting COAR on June 9th. Karla gave him a card on behalf of all the children and staff memorializing Brother Saul Soriano, OFM Cap., our dear friend, taken too soon, May 7, 2018, read our tribute to him […]

Community Film School and Facing Reality

Or, how to keep busy during an ongoing pandemic . . . Interhouse soccer tournaments, daily gospel reflections, and Zumba videos can only get you so far—even with the usual schoolwork and household chores. So Marta, our director, has found a creative outlet for six of our COAR kids. She’s signed them up for film […]

June 2021 – Executive Director’s Reflections & News from El Salvador

Watercolor original by: Marie Spaeder Haas

I DESERVE A PATH FREE OF VIOLENCE COAR Children designed this movie poster on emigration: “YOUR LIFE IS WORTH MORE THAN AN UNCERTAIN DESTINATION / I DESERVE A PATH FREE OF VIOLENCE” The film school opportunity (featured in our news this month) started as a remote‑learning, creative outlet during the pandemic. But the first project […]