OUR STORY

Established in 1995, PLF helps children in need reach their full potential by providing houses in Peru, centered on family and the Jesuit values of education and service to others.

Paul Lammermeier was born in Cleveland, Ohio, August 21, 1939. Paul’s working-class parents decided early on that Paul and his two brothers would benefit from a Catholic education, so the three brothers attended St. Francis Xavier Parochial School St. Ignatius High School.

Upon graduation from St. Ignatius in 1957, Paul entered the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). As a Jesuit scholastic, he returned to St. Ignatius from 1964-1967, teaching History and Latin, and serving as Assistant Athletic Director and as Prefect at the morning Liturgies. During his ten years in formation with the Jesuits, Paul received an excellent education: an AB degree in 1963 and an MA in History in 1968, from Loyola University (Chicago). More importantly, he embraced Jesuit spirituality – seeing God in every person and everything – and made this central to his life.

During his years teaching at St. Ignatius High School, Paul had found his true calling as a teacher. In 1968, he withdrew from the Society of Jesus and entered a doctoral program at Kent State University, studying American History with an emphasis on African American History. Those years were integral to the formation of Paul’s social consciousness as he studied marginalized communities within American society.

In the spring of 1974, St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, Ohio hired Paul to teach and to establish its community service program. Over the next 14 years, Paul dedicated his life to instilling in his students the attitudes consistent with Jesuit philosophy and service to those who are in need in one’s community. During his final year at St. Xavier, over five hundred students participated in the community service program, which has become a trademark of the school on a national basis.

Teaching in Lima, Peru

In 1983, Paul made the first of several mission/immersion trips to Peru, each trip longer than the last. After a six-month visit teaching, learning the language, and working with people who were poor, Paul was deeply touched by the abject poverty he witnessed and felt a calling to be a missionary in Peru. In 1988, Paul sold his house and belongings, left everything that he loved, and put himself in the hands of the Lord. Paul moved to Lima to teach English and History and begin a small community service program at an inner-city Jesuit high school, Colegio San Francisco Javier.

The Mission Expands

Soon, Paul was drawn to the larger needs in the community as he became acquainted with the children who were living on the streets through his community service work.

In 1993, he informally adopted two boys who were homeless, providing them with shelter, food, education, and moral guidance. With his meager teacher’s salary and unsolicited financial assistance from a handful of friends in the States, Paul was able to provide the essentials for these two boys: Edgar and Donato. Paul sensed that God was calling him to do more, and he decided to formalize his work by establishing a home for boys.

Creating the Foundation

On a trip back to the United States, Paul told former St. Xavier students and friends of his vision for a home for boys who are homeless:

“To realize this goal, I asked for outside help in two different areas: To purchase a home and  provide continuing support for these children – day to day living in addition to their education. After the home is functioning, I also hope to find some existing group to ensure that this work will continue after I am no longer able to do it personally.”

A dozen of these friends mobilized to form a nonprofit organization to provide funds to support this vision: the Paul Lammermeier Foundation (PLF). Beyond the profound impact Paul’s work had on the children he took in, his example elicited a deep desire on the part of others in his life to support his mission in Peru.

The Vision Continues

Realizing that there were plenty of young women and girls who also lacked a stable home and access to quality education, Paul and his team’s vision expanded to include a third house for girls. With this identified need, additional funding, and support both in Lima and the United States, the house for girls was established in 2013: Casa Teresa.

Growing Toward Tomorrow

Reflecting the influence of his faith and his formation with the Jesuits, Paul Lammermeier has dedicated his life to the service and education of others.

The impact of home life on the children and youth of Casa Javier, Casa Ignacio and Casa Teresa has been incredibly positive. Together with Paul and the Asociación Casa Javier (ACJ: Board and staff in Peru), along with the optimistic encouragement of our family of supporters, PLF continues to expand and renew our mission, and the work has continued on. The successes seen within the houses continue to inspire and to move us forward.