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We are ACER.
Supporting families since 2007.

A non-profit civil organization born from the commitment of a group of people convinced that child malnutrition has a solution—if action is taken in time, with method and perseverance.

Mission
To combat child malnutrition and promote the social inclusion of low-income families in underserved neighborhoods in Northern Greater Buenos Aires.
Vision
Communities with equal opportunities, where every person can fulfill their potential and freely choose their path.
Values
Integrity · Commitment · Responsibility · Continuous Improvement
What we are like

The values that guide us

They are not words on a wall. They are the criteria we use to make every decision, from how we support families to how we report to donors.

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Integrity
We always act consistently with what we say and what we do.
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Commitment
17 years without interruption. Commitment is not a statement—it is a daily practice.
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Responsibility
We are fully transparent and accountable to the families we serve and to those who support us.
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Continuous Improvement
Every year we strive to do more and do better. The opening of Jardín Faro in 2025 is one example.
Nuestro recorrido

17 años de historia viva

Los hitos que marcaron el camino desde el primer centro hasta hoy.

25
2025 · Hito mayor
Jardín Maternal Faro:
el proyecto más ambicioso de nuestra historia
Inaugurado en marzo 2025 · Centro San Isidro
Inauguración Jardín Maternal Faro

El 12 de marzo de 2025, después de meses de obra y preparación, el Jardín Maternal Faro abrió sus puertas en el Centro San Isidro. Es el primer espacio Montessori para niños de 0 a 3 años en el barrio, y marca un antes y un después en la historia de ACER: por primera vez, intervenimos en los primeros 1.000 días de vida — la ventana más crítica para prevenir el daño irreversible de la desnutrición.

El Jardín funciona bajo el Programa PIM — Primera Infancia Montessori, con salas equipadas con materiales diseñados para estimular el desarrollo sensorial, motor y cognitivo desde el nacimiento. No es un jardín común: es una intervención integral que combina nutrición, estimulación y acompañamiento a las familias.

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Edad de atención
0 a 3 años — primera infancia
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Metodología
Programa PIM · Montessori adaptado
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Ubicación
La Casita de al Lado · San Isidro
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Alianza con la Municipalidad de San Isidro: el municipio financió y acompañó la remodelación completa de la Casita de al Lado para transformarla en un espacio preparado según los estándares Montessori. Un modelo de colaboración público-privada que queremos replicar.
Hito 2025Primera infanciaMontessoriAlianza municipal1.000 días
23
2023 — Autofinanciamiento
La Casita de al Lado: ferias que sostienen el 25% del presupuesto
Con la incorporación de la casa vecina al Centro San Isidro, comenzamos las ferias quincenales de productos donados. Hoy representan el 25% del total de ingresos mensuales de ACER.
Autogestión
22
2022 — Internacional
Primer año de voluntarios austriacos
Inicio del programa de voluntariado internacional con jóvenes de Austria. En 2026 cerramos el cuarto año consecutivo, consolidando un modelo de intercambio único en el GBA.
Voluntariado internacional
19
2019 — Infraestructura y premios
Premio CEMEX y presupuesto participativo
Participamos del Premio CEMEX 2019. Gracias al voto de los vecinos en el Presupuesto Participativo de Vicente López, construimos la galería techada y renovamos baños e instalaciones.
Premio CEMEXPresupuesto participativo
15
2015 — Reconocimiento
Premio Rotary por labor en desnutrición infantil
El Club Rotary reconoce el trabajo de prevención y tratamiento de la desnutrición infantil. Primer relevamiento antropométrico masivo en Villa La Cava y Villa Uruguay.
Premio Rotary
13
2013 — Empoderamiento
Formación laboral para madres
Primer taller de emprendimiento para madres, con apoyo de Fundación PROEM y Laboratorios RAFFO. Las madres dejan de ser solo receptoras para convertirse en agentes de cambio.
11
2011 — Expansión
Inauguramos el segundo centro en San Isidro
Apertura del Centro CONIN San Isidro, con estimulación Montessori y catequesis del Buen Pastor. ACER se convierte en centro de prácticas para estudiantes de la UBA.
2 centros activos
07
2007 — El comienzo
Abrimos el primer centro en Vicente López
Con metodología CONIN y el apoyo de un grupo fundador comprometido, abrimos las puertas del primer centro en el Barrio Las Flores, Vicente López.
Hito fundacional
The people behind ACER

Our team

The Board of Directors and the staff who make the day-to-day work at the two centers possible.

Board of Directors
Mercedes Canova de Piacenza
Mercedes Canova de Piacenza
President
Founder and institutional representative of ACER since 2007.
María Luisa Bracco
María Luisa Bracco
Vice President
Program coordination and institutional relations.
Horacio Hourbeigt
Horacio Hourbeigt
Secretary
Administrative management and institutional documentation.
Guillermo Bronenberg
Guillermo Bronenberg
Treasurer
Financial management and accountability.
Adriana Piacenza de Barboza · Member Susana Álvarez Herrero · Member Marta Fitte · Member Marcelo Piacenza · Member CPA Bibiana Garaventa · Accounts Examiner Sebastián Schedufau · Auditor Héctor Alfano · Contributor Adrian Spitalleri · Contributor Federico Barboza · Contributor Viviana Morandi · Contributor Nora Ludevid · Contributor Patricio Petersen · Contributor Santiago Puelles · Contributor Soledad Coppa · Contributor
ACER Team
About us
The team that works every day at the centers
Vicente López Center
Director: Lic. Mariana Goñi
Laura BattistaSocial Services
Micaela MilaniSocial Services
Camila GitardNutrition
Paula VernengoEarly Stimulation
Inés VeloEarly Stimulation
Magali SánchezMontessori Guide
Vanesa BordaMaintenance
Carlos PintoMaintenance
Administration
Lucrecia EscalonaAdministration
Laura BiffiAdministration
Leonardo FontenlaAdministration
Stella CannevaroFundraising
Both Centers
Jessica BresciaEarly Stimulation
Claudia BreserPediatrics
Estefanía GalloMontessori Guide
Bettina Magalí SanchezMontessori Assistant
San Isidro Center
Director: Bernarda Olivera Wells
Giorgina BruzziPIM Coordinator
Vanessa GagliardiMontessori Guide
Florencia LuzuriagaMontessori Guide
Cecilia BorghiNutrition
María Marta CampbellNutrition
Mariana GiriboneEducational Psychology
Claudio AbrahanPediatrics
Noelia GarciaEducational Psychology
Ines MolinaNutritionist
Yanina VilaMontessori Guide
Carolina GomezMontessori Assistant
Analía EspósitoMontessori Assistant
Cecilia RiosPreschool Teacher
Flavia Di BenedettoPediatrics
Vanessa GervasiPreschool Teacher
Magalí ZalazarPreschool Teacher
Vanessa PugliesePreschool Teacher
Fernanda ChoqueSewing Workshop
Claudia CamposCommunity Garden
Maria Castillo MonteroMaintenance
Nancy SalvioKitchen and Cleaning
Emilce AltamiranoKitchen and Cleaning
ACER Volunteers
Volunteers and collaborators
Las Coninas and so many others who support us
Las Coninas

A group of women volunteers who organize monthly fairs at the ACER San Isidro headquarters, providing a service to the families in the program and to the neighborhood in general.

Adriana Accinelli Josefina Bengalli Clara Fábregas Maria Luisa Bracco María Julia García Espil Ana Garrido Edith Godon Paula Slednew Gabriela Wernli Adriana Delcarlo Mabel Ianni Graciela Petrocelli Graciela Maldonado Adriana Piacenza Virginia Raberto Mercedes Reddel Marisol Romero Mariquita Garcia Tuñon Magdalena Nocetti
Dónde estamos

Dos centros, dos comunidades

Cada centro trabaja de lunes a viernes con las familias de su barrio. Misma metodología, mismo compromiso, contextos distintos.

Centro 1 · Activo desde 2007
Centro Vicente López
Barrio Las Flores · Vicente López

Nuestro centro fundacional. 17 años de trabajo con familias del Barrio Las Flores.
Sede del programa de voluntariado internacional

Programa CONIN completo
Talleres de puericultura, costura y emprendimientos
Prácticas en nutrición para universidades
Voluntarios internacionales (Austria desde 2022)
Ver en el mapa →
Center 2 · Active since 2011
San Isidro Center
Barrio La Cava · Villa Uruguay · San Isidro

Opened in 2011, it serves the communities of La Cava and Villa Uruguay. It was the first to incorporate the Jardín Maternal Faro and the community organic garden.

Full CONIN program
La Casita de al Lado — monthly fairs
International volunteers (Austria, since 2022)
Municipality of San Isidro — institutional alliance · FARO Nursery School
View on the map →
Rendición de cuentas

Transparencia total

Creemos que quien apoya nuestro trabajo tiene derecho a saber exactamente cómo se usan los fondos. Por eso publicamos nuestra contabilidad completa y auditada.

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Distribución de fondos
Así distribuimos cada peso que recibimos:
Infraestructura y Administración40%
Talleres para madres2%
Atención del niño - Equipo Profesional44%
Nutrición / Bolsones14%
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Awards and recognitions
Organizations that validated our work:
2019 CEMEX Award — Best Community Development Project
2019 Participatory Budget — Municipality of Vicente López
2015 Rotary Award — Prevention and Treatment of Child Malnutrition
2012 Recognition from the Municipality of Vicente López
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Documentos disponibles para descarga
Balance 2024
Estado contable auditado · PDF
Descargar →
Estatuto social
Documento constitutivo · PDF
Descargar →
Personería jurídica
Resolución AFIP · PDF
Descargar →

Ya nos conocés.
¿Te sumás a nuestra historia?

Cada persona que se une — como donante, voluntaria o aliada corporativa — escribe el próximo capítulo de ACER.

Full story

Estefanía Gallo

From mother at the center to Montessori Guide

My name is Estefanía Gallo and I'm 31 years old. I finished secondary school at 17, and at 20 I became a mother for the first time. Like many women, I set aside work and study plans to devote myself fully to motherhood. At 22 I had my second daughter, and at 25, my third child.

I came to ACER through a proposal from the kindergarten my children attended, to get to know the Montessori environment up close. The first time I walked in, I fell in love with the environment and the way of working. I began to learn more about the method, and that's how I discovered the Fundación Argentina María Montessori, where I decided to train as an Assistant.

ACER's board and staff, to whom I'll always be grateful, gave me the opportunity to work with them right away.

After three years came the long-awaited scholarship, granted by the Montessori Foundation and ACER, to train as a Montessori Guide. I took it on with pride, enthusiasm and responsibility.

In August 2019, with a great deal of effort and sacrifice, I earned my internationally recognized certification. It's hard to put my happiness into words, let alone the pride I felt seeing my children at the diploma ceremony.

Working at ACER fills me with joy: it lets me help the families who come here, planting a small seed in the stimulation and upbringing of their children, and showing that it's possible to move forward. I delight in the children's joy at finding an environment that lets them unlock their full potential.

I hope my experience inspires many mothers —at this center and so many others— to move forward and grow, professionally and personally, cultivating great values so that, together, we can make a better world.

Full story

Romi and Isa

From ACER's workshop to their own venture · @madrazasbsas

Romi and Isa have several things in common: both had three children, both sew skillfully, and both work hard to get ahead and improve their quality of life.

They met several years ago, thanks to their children being friends at school. Isa (50) decided to invite Romi (41) to the ACER center in Vicente López. And once Romi arrived, she never left.

Romi and Isa at ACER's workshop

Through the workshops, and not without some fears, they learned sewing, knitting, embroidery, manicure, dance, cooking and jewelry-making, discovering talents they never suspected they had. With great courage they decided to launch their own venture of sustainable fabric bags, based on the techniques learned at ACER and the support of the center's staff.

An unimaginable dream: for Romi, who always considered herself clumsy at embroidery and discovered she is quite the opposite; and for Isa, who after a hard personal and family story found a career path that motivates and sustains her.

They started small: with the old sewing machine of one of their grandmothers, a WhatsApp group, and the help of Sergio, Isa's husband, whom they call "The Cutter" for his millimetric precision measuring and cutting the fabric.

Today, together with two other mothers they met at the center, they lead @madrazasbsas: they make fabric bags for different businesses and work with steady dedication and joy so the project grows with every step.

Follow their venture on Instagram →

"Hi, my name is Susana, and I'm the mother of two children who come to ACER. We love coming here, and we feel truly supported — both financially and emotionally. I'm deeply grateful for everything it has meant for my children's development."

— Susana

"Hi, my name is Lidia, and I'm an ACER–CONIN mom. I joined because of my children: my youngest was underweight, and thanks to the pediatricians' help and my own efforts, we got him to a healthy weight. I'm more than grateful, and I don't have words to thank all the specialists here who helped me."

— Lidia

"I'm a former ACER–CONIN mom, now a volunteer in the sewing workshop. It makes me so happy to give back my small grain of sand after everything you shared with me. It's a real milestone to help other moms learn to sew and do alterations. I hope to keep contributing, and I thank everyone working behind the scenes — the support they give is truly wonderful."

— Fernanda Choque