Saint Martin of Tours Home: Kitchen Equipment for Health and Dignity

Rama Caída, a rural town in the department of San Rafael, Mendoza, faces deep poverty and scarce resources. While the community relies primarily on wine production for survival, many families struggle to care for their loved ones with disabilities or in vulnerable situations.

In this context, the Saint Martin of Tours House of Mercy serves as a true refuge of hope and dignity, offering comprehensive care to individuals with disabilities and those in need. The Home provides not only shelter and food but also medical attention, therapeutic support, and human companionship that nurture both body and spirit.

The Home currently shelters 55 permanent residents, who receive daily meals, clothing, medical care, and emotional and spiritual support. The House also provides meals to staff and caretakers who live and work on-site, and often extends its help to poor members of the local community who come seeking food.

In this way, the House of Mercy is not only a space of care and protection, but also an active humanitarian center serving the wider community of Rama Caída.

The main challenge for the House of Mercy is the lack of adequate kitchen infrastructure to safely and efficiently prepare four daily meals for more than 75 residents, caregivers, and vulnerable community members. Without proper industrial equipment, staff struggle with heavy workloads, food safety risks, and inconsistent meal quality, threatening the continuity of this essential service. Upgrading the kitchen is crucial to ensure reliable nutrition, dignity, and humane care for those who depend on the Home every day.

The proper functioning of the Home depends heavily on its kitchen services, where four daily meals are prepared for approximately 75 people. However, the current kitchen facilities face serious technical and operational limitations, lacking the industrial-grade equipment needed to handle such high food volumes safely and efficiently.

This project seeks to equip the kitchen with modern industrial machinery, allowing staff to improve meal quality, optimize time and resources, and ensure a safe, hygienic, and sustainable food preparation process.

Beyond its practical impact, this initiative represents a vital investment in the health, dignity, and daily subsistence of all residents and beneficiaries of the House.

This project will directly benefit 75 individuals, including:

• 55 permanent residents with varying degrees of disability or social vulnerability.
• 10 live-in staff members and caretakers responsible for daily operations.
• Poor and homeless individuals from the local community who regularly come to the Home for a meal.

Indirectly, the project also benefits families and community networks connected to the Home, reinforcing its role as a center of solidarity and compassion.

The food service is the heart of the Saint Martin of Tours House of Mercy. Every meal prepared represents an act of dignity, care, and hope for individuals who have often been marginalized by poverty or disability. Having the right kitchen machinery will ensure the continuity and quality of this essential service, strengthening the Home’s mission to protect life, health, and human dignity.

Ultimately, this project is more than an equipment upgrade, it is a humanitarian and social investment that transforms the kitchen into a more efficient, safe, and sustainable space, where daily service becomes an expression of love, compassion, and justice.