Global Shore Opportunities was founded by the owners of The Shore Group, a family-run produce business located in southwestern Ontario. Our founders, as committed Christians, were involved in short-term volunteer work earlier in life that profoundly affected them, changing their perspectives and approaches to life. It was their desire that young Christians could experience something similar.

In 2002, our founders established the Summer Student Program so that those young Christians could earn money by working in their produce packing plant for two months, and still take part in short-term volunteer work in the second half of the summer thanks to a program scholarship.

As the founders’ connection to Guatemala was solidified, the Summer Student Program began to exclusively organize volunteering in the area of El Tizate, Guatemala. Global Shore Opportunities was soon established as a non-profit organization and we found other areas of need in El Tizate. Housing construction became a key feature of our ministry for many years as families struggled to provide basic needs for their families.

Along the way, Global Shore Opportunities helped start a small school and kept adding a grade each year, until we found ourselves with a full elementary school, then a middle school, and (as of 2018) a high school. Thanks to an influential visit to the Christian schools of Impact Ministries in Tactic, Guatemala, Global Shore Opportunities developed a philosophy of Christian education which guides our efforts in education.

Our main ministry is our Christian school of 300+ students, and we regularly host discipleship programs and teams from North America, welcoming them to take part in our school activities. Guatemalan staff lead our programs and teach at our schools. Our English classes are taught by North Americans who are partnering with our school’s vision.