The Hospital de la Familia, located in the town of Nuevo Progreso, Guatemala, was formally opened and dedicated February 8, 1976. It exists due to the vision and commitment of three extraordinary individuals: Padre Cayetano Bertoldo, a local priest from Italy; Jack Younger, a San Francisco Bay Area contractor; and Jeanine Archimbaud, a Canadian dedicated to working in poor communities in Latin America.

In the late 1960’s, while working to serve the local community, Padre Bertoldo and Ms. Archimbaud identified a significant need for both education and medical care in the small, rural village of Nuevo Progreso. They established a makeshift clinic, a dispensary pharmacy, and a sewing school for women and girls.

In the early 1970’s they met Jack Younger, who also recognized that the needs of the people in this area, primarily indigenous Maya, were much greater and required a larger effort. Mr. Younger, who was a member of the San Francisco-based private club called The Family Club of San Francisco, raised the initial $100,000 from club members to fund the construction of the hospital. The project began in 1972, with local Guatemalans helping to build the initial structure. Upon completion it was named Hospital de la Familia.

Members of The Family Club of San Francisco continue to be a significant financial support to the organization. Many have volunteered on visiting teams and are also members of the Board of Directors.

While Ms. Archimbaud moved on to other projects, Padre Bertoldo Meda and Jack Younger remained the driving force behind the hospital until their deaths, Padre Bertoldo in 2004 and Mr. Younger in 2014.