Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - The School Bag Project organized by our 'Vallarta Abuelos,' a group of Mexican and expat volunteers that focus on giving back to the community by helping underprivileged children, was a huge success!

The backpack / education campaign started in June with the goal of providing 400 low-income children with new backpacks filled with school supplies, and by August the Vallarta Abuelos had delivered backpacks and school supplies to more than 180 students who live in the Colonia 5 de diciembre - or whose parents work in the neighborhood.

Another 175 bags of pencils, erasers, rulers, pens, etc., and 500 spiral notebooks were delivered to school kids in nearby Colonia Jardines, most of whom are being raised by single moms or grandmothers who earn the minimum wage (about $5 US a day) by selling tacos or cleaning Vallarta hotel rooms.

In addition, twelve students who attend 5 de diciembre junior and senior high schools were given scholarships of $1,000 to $2,500 pesos to help cover the cost of uniforms, school fees, transportation and lunches, and nine of their classmates obtained scholarships worth $2,000 to study English in a private academy.

Many thanks to the School Bag Project sponsors, who donated nearly $6,000 USD; to our dozens of volunteers; as well as to our partners at American Airlines, Mega, WOW, Hospiten, DIF, and the Puerto Vallarta Mayor's office.

Since last Christmas we have given refurbished bicycles to 88 local children, and for Christmas, visits from Santa are planned for 300 needy kids. For more information, or to learn how you can help, please see the Vallarta Abuelos Facebook page, or email founder Anne Marie Weiss-Armush at president(at)dfwinternational.org.