Accomodations

Mercedes Martinez founded the Hogar Marguerite d’Youville in 1979 to assist young mothers in need.  The Hogar welcomes women considering adoption with food, shelter, medical care, counseling, and job training.  Women are referred to the Hogar by friends, by the Colombian welfare agency (Bienestar), or by hearing about it in the media.

Young women at the Hogar follow a daily routine of classes, counseling, and job training. On-going prenatal care is given, while plans for their child’s future are discussed in small group and personal settings. They are delivered at a local hospital in Bogotá and are welcomed back to the Hogar after their deliveries, where they may remain through recovery.  Many of these infants are relinquished for adoption, but some do return home with the mother, who now returns home with better personal and vocational skills.  A stay at the Hogar is non-contingent upon placing a child for adoption through FANA. 

Playroom

Many adopting families choose to visit the Hogar during their stay in Bogotá and are able to meet with and speak with the women staying there. These meetings have proved beneficial to both adoptive families, as well as the women considering adoption.The Hogar is named after Marguerite d’Youville, a founder of the Congregation of the Grey Sisters of Charity in Montreal, Canada in 1737. She was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1990. The Grey Sisters of Charity served for many years at FANA, until 1996, providing dedicated support to the children and the young mothers.  Today, the Hogar is supported in large part by donations from Friends of FANA groups from around the world.