Vallarta School Bag Project
Our Vallarta School Bag Project will benefit more than 400 of our little neighbors who dream of continuing their studies in Kinder, Primaria, Secundaria, and Prepa. For only $12.50 US, you can provide a low-income child with a new back pack filled with everything he or she needs for the first day of school.
WHO: Most of the 400 children in our list are being raised by single moms or grandmothers who earn the minimum wage (about $5 US a day) by selling tacos or cleaning hotel rooms. As all students must buy uniforms, and youth in junior and senior high must also pay fees, transportation, and lunches, school costs are a real challenge for Vallarta moms!
WHAT: Here in Mexico, a back pack alone costs from 400 pesos ($22 US) to more than a thousand pesos, but by purchasing wholesale and direct from the suppliers, we're able to make this project possible at a greatly reduced cost!
WHEN: Our Vallarta-based team of volunteers will pack and distribute these back packs between August 1 and August 4, 2019, just prior to our (estimated) Aug 15 first day of school.
In addition, we have sponsorship from a major US airline that will ship the bags without charge from US manufacturer to us here in Vallarta, making it possible for a donation of $50 US to support FOUR Vallarta children.
This project supports children like 10 year old Carlitos, who is in 4th grade, and who lives in a very crowded room with a hot plate and outdoor hose for bathing. along with his 14-year old sister Fatima, 9-year old cousin Jonathan, and elderly grandparents. Each afternoon when she goes to her job, Grandmother Elena leaves a pot of beans on the electric burner, and the children serve themselves for lunch and dinner. Grandmother is proud that her work keeps food on the table. But it's not enough to buy uniforms and shoes and the children's old school bags are ripped and worn.
The Vallarta School Bag Project is produced under the auspices of DFW International, a Dallas-based 501c3, and as such can issue receipts for use with US taxes. To receive a donations note, please write Anne Marie Weiss-Armush InMexico through FB messenger or by email at [email redacted].
Other ways to sponsor a child:
a. send funds through PayPal, to [email redacted]
b. mail a tax-deductible donation via check to DFW International
2717 Hackberry Lane
Garland TX 75042
About the PHOTO: We've posted a photo from a refugee school bag project we organized for the past 5 years in Dallas Texas, which provided 450 refugee children with similar bags and supplies.
About the NUMBERS: You may have noticed that our goal is a bit higher than the expected cost of 400 bags x $12.50. The reason is that students in secundaria (junior high) and especially those in preparatoria (high school) need many additional types of supplies, including white erasing liquid, special notebooks, and 'geometry tools'.
About your DONATION: 100% of funds collected will be used for this project. We are all volunteers and there are no costs for overhead or staff.
THANK YOU! Muchisimas gracias!
