Marist solidarity in response to the catastrophe in Valencia
The Marist family, through the Marcelino Champagnat Foundation, along with the Marist schools in Valencia, Cullera, Denia, and AlgemesĂ, in the Marist Province of Mediterránea,, are carrying out various solidarity actions during these difficult times following the catastrophe in the community of Valencia, Spain.
More than 200 people lost their lives because of the heavy rains that fell between October 29 and 30, 2024 in the Valencian Community. Thousands are still missing. The Marist works were not directly affected, except for the water and mud that have affected the sports pavilion and the courtyards of the Marist School of AlgemesĂ.
“Having had the good fortune of not being so severely affected, we have opened our school and made it available to meet the needs of the community, leaving the playground free for emergency military units to park and manage all operations in the area”, mentions Br. Chano Guzmán Moriana, director of the Marist School in AlgemesĂ.
The school also functions as a warehouse for donations that are being received from all over Spain. The Marists have been in AlgemesĂ since 1917. The current school was inaugurated in 1981 and is located near the Magro River, which has overflowed. “In the community, there are six brothers, and we are all well and very involved in the service work that is currently being carried out to support the volunteers who are coming and to dignify the situation in the area,” emphasizes H. Chano.