Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – The ‘Vallarta Abuelos,’ a group of Mexican and expat volunteers that focus on giving back to the community by helping underprivileged children, have announced the launch of their annual School Bag Project, which supports local kids who dream of continuing their studies in public schools.
All students in public school must pay fees and buy uniforms, 2 pair of shoes, and 2 or 3 different uniforms. Youth in junior and senior high must also pay for books, transportation, and lunches. The cost of education is very high here, and contributes to the 63% dropout rate.
Most of the 800 children that the Vallarta Abuelos support are being raised by single moms or grandmothers who earn the minimum wage (about $7 US a day) by selling tacos or cleaning hotel rooms. The cost for a student in ‘free’ public elementary school DOUBLED last year, so your support is more important than ever.
For only 600 pesos ($35 USD) you can provide a low-income child with a new back pack and supplies.
Here in Mexico, a back pack alone can cost from 400 pesos ($22 USD) to more than 1500 pesos ($75 USD). The ‘stitched notebook’ required by the schools sells for 80 to 120 pesos ($4 USD to $7 USD), and one is required for each class. By purchasing wholesale & direct, the Abuelos are able to make this project possible at a greatly reduced cost.
How to sponsor a child:
- Send a tax-deductible donation through GoFundMe.com/Vallarta-Abuelos
- Send a tax-deductible donation through Paypal to VallartaAbuelos@outlook.com
- Send a US check or cash (message Anne Marie Weiss-Armush for details)
- Take a child’s name from one of our School Bag ‘angel trees’ in local restaurants.
Please help. The cost is only $35.00 USD per child. 100% of funds collected will be used for this project. The Vallarta Abuelos are all volunteers and there are no costs for overhead or staff.
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.
