Our Work in Latin America
“Save a Pill, Save a Life” in Every Village, Every Mountain, Every Clinic
Over the past decade, the James Hollister Wellness Foundation has worked throughout South and Central America to deliver life-saving medicine and supplies to some of the most underserved communities. Nowhere is this more evident than in our long-standing partnership with St. Paul’s Clinic in Honduras, where we've built one of our most impactful models of care.
A Lifeline in Honduras: St. Paul’s Clinic
St. Paul’s Clinic was founded in 1999 after Hurricane Mitch devastated the region—killing thousands, orphaning children, and overwhelming the country’s fragile healthcare system. What began as an emergency response, rooted in the compassion of a local woman named Joanny Medrano and her Maryland parish community, has grown into a cornerstone of care for the Colonia El Rosario neighborhood and the broader Tegucigalpa region.
For nearly a decade, JHWF has supplied the clinic with consistent shipments of donated medications to keep their pharmacy stocked. This includes critical items such as insulin, antibiotics, lidocaine for dental procedures, wound care kits, and chronic disease management drugs—supplies that would otherwise be unaffordable or simply unavailable to the patients they serve.
We also support the clinic’s biannual medical brigades, which bring healthcare to rural villages unreachable by public services. Volunteers often hike for hours to reach remote communities, providing everything from routine check-ups to emergency care. We’ve supported these missions with both medicine and hands-on leadership—our co-founder, Matt Hollister, serves on the clinic’s board and regularly joins brigades in the field.
In one unforgettable moment, a woman who had given birth just five days prior climbed a mountain—newborn in one arm, toddler in the other—to reach our mobile clinic. Her strength mirrors that of so many patients we encounter—and inspires everything we do.
Dental Care for the Underserved
Dental care in Honduras is often considered a luxury. Through St. Paul’s, we’ve supported community dental services by providing anesthetics like lidocaine, enabling procedures such as extractions and cleanings that can alleviate years of untreated pain.
Emergency Interventions
In another case, a patient suffering from diabetic foot disease—a common but overlooked complication—received emergency treatment using our donated medical supplies. After wound care was administered, we even purchased a modified pair of Crocs to help him walk again in comfort and dignity.
Expanding Our Reach: Bolivia and Costa Rica
Beyond Honduras, we’ve extended our efforts across South and Central America:
In Bolivia, we partnered with MedFund to deliver critical supplies during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite border closures and logistical challenges, we successfully sent tens of thousands of dollars worth of medications to support underserved communities.
In Costa Rica, we teamed up with Rancho Costafalo, Farmacia Azul, and Mission Accion to deliver medical supplies to families in need, expanding healthcare access along the Pacific coast.
