Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico – The Puerto Vallarta International Friendship Club (IFC) is heading into the 2026–27 season with a strong reminder of how local cooperation can make a difference. Founded in 1986 to help children born with cleft lips and palates, the volunteer organization now supports medical, educational and humanitarian projects throughout the region.
Seven Cleft Palate Surgeries Completed
The August clinic faced severe logistical hurdles just days before launch when scheduled medical staff became unavailable. Reaching out to local partner organizations funded by IFC grants, the team mobilized a wave of support. Dra. Lilibeth Monroy Favela, a pediatric anesthesiologist at IMSS, stepped in at the final hour.
Working alongside Guadalajara plastic surgeon Dr. Fuentes, the team completed full patient consultations on the first day before embarking on a marathon surgical schedule at CMQ Hospital. Operating from morning until nearly midnight, Dr. Fuentes and the medical team successfully completed seven complex cleft palate procedures in a single day, followed by morning patient rounds before discharging every child.
Support from the business and residential community proved instrumental throughout the clinic. CMQ Hospital donated operating and recovery spaces, while local residents April and Bill Miton managed medical supplies, local transport, and housing at Casa Leta Suites.
Local restaurants, including Siam Cocina Thai and Bonito Kitchen, provided meals for the hard-working medical staff. The next Cleft Palate Clinic is already scheduled to run from September 30 through October 2.
Preparing the Clubhouse
The IFC is also seeking donations to prepare its Clubhouse for the upcoming season. Its wish list includes 100 padded folding chairs and storage racks, 25 folding tables, electrical grounding and improved meeting-room lighting, a replacement lobby calendar monitor, and a larger screen to highlight nonprofit organizations supported by IFC grants. The club also hopes to replace its aging telephone system.
Members can donate toward individual items, contribute to the overall effort or help the IFC find lower-cost alternatives. Those interested can contact IFC President, Peggy Nelson, at president(at)ifcvallarta.org.
Supporting Education and Local Programs
The IFC continues to direct funding toward community organizations, with about $1 million pesos in donations supporting Vallarta-area educational and social service nonprofits.
Among this year’s recipients is La BiB, a bilingual children’s library founded by Vallarta musician Stolie. The library received a $22,000-peso grant for books and is now seeking travelers who can bring suitcases of Spanish-language books from Chicago to Puerto Vallarta.
The IFC also awarded $60,000 pesos to the Wixarika Scholarship Fund. Ten university students from Wixárika communities traveled from Tepic and Guadalajara on August 20 to receive their scholarships and participate in a workshop focused on cultural heritage and the challenges of university life.
In another back-to-school effort, the IFC contributed $60,000 pesos to Vallarta Abuelos for backpacks and school supplies for children in Puerto Vallarta’s Cinco de Diciembre neighborhood.
Together, these efforts reflect the IFC’s long-running mission: bringing volunteers, donors and community organizations together to improve lives across Puerto Vallarta and beyond.
The International Friendship Club is a registered charitable organization in Mexico listed as Club Internacional de la Amistad de Puerto Vallarta A.C. It is located at the northeast corner of the Rio Cuale Bridge above the HSBC Bank, Colonia El Centro, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, 48300. Phone: 322-222-5466. Website: ifcvallarta.org Email: ifcvallarta(at)gmail.com
