Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – As we reported last month, after 4 years of service, Vallarta Food Bank is now ‘Vallarta Cares’. Frankie Bañuelos, one of the masterminds behind this grassroots movement, tells us more:
We are thrilled to share a significant update with you as we celebrate our fourth anniversary. We have expanded our services and are serving a larger set of the Vallarta community. As a result, we’ve expanded our Board of Directors and just changed our name to better reflect our commitment beyond food distribution to now include comprehensive support like medical, educational, and emergency relief services to our community in Puerto Vallarta. So the Vallarta Food Bank is now Vallarta Cares.
We’re Updating Our Systems
The needs of our community continue to grow, especially as we face the off-season and upcoming storm threats. Now more than ever, your support is vital. We’re in the process of upgrading all of our systems and operations.
To that end, all donation commitments and contact information must be re-established and updated (the official charity name of Vallarta Cares is “Alacena Por Amor a Vallarta AC”). Please click HERE to update. This will ensure we have the most up-to-date information for all of our volunteers, donors, and supporters and can continue to support our beneficiaries.
Please Update Your Donation & Contact Information
Click Here To Initiate Donations
Click Here To Update Your Contact Info
More Than Fighting Food Insecurity — Now Supporting Overall Economic Independence
As you may remember, we were established during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Since then we have delivered over 305,539 meals and impacted countless lives thanks to all of you. And during that time, we realized that when we support our members beyond simply helping them feed themselves and their families, we can contribute to a greater overall community. This helps individuals becomes self-sufficient and allows them to add more to the richness of the Vallarta that we all love. So now we’ve added Medical and Dental Care, Educational Programs To Enhance Employability, and Disaster Relief Efforts to our existing Food Bank services.
Expanding Board Governance & Partnerships For Greater Organizational Sustainability
We serve sectors of the Vallarta population — the elderly, homeless, and abused women — that are more vulnerable and have greater limitations due to lack of support by government programs. We can do this through partnerships with local businesses like Costco, La Comer, Four Seasons Hotel Group, Carl’s Jr and through the dedication of volunteers and generous support of donors. Up until now, we’ve done this with a small group of family and friends.
To ensure that Vallarta Cares will continue to support this community, we have created a more diverse Board of Directors and even greater governance. Together we will better be equipped to Enhance Program Quality, Expand Community Engagement, Increase Volunteer Participation, Provide More Regular Communications, and Strengthen Donor Support; all to build a Vallarta Cares that is resilient and sustainable.
The Story Of One Beneficiary: Juan Carlos
To remind you of why we do what we do, here’s the story of Juan Carlos Jiménez. He came to the Food Bank in 2020 when he lost his job and had no way to feed his family. Through generous donations and the help of volunteers, we were able to help Juan (and others) ensure their families didn’t go hungry. At that time, we also offered English classes in which Juan enrolled and successfully completed. Thanks to all this, Juan was able to get a job as a taxi driver at the airport. Today Juan contributes to the Vallarta community and no longer needs the assistance of Vallarta Cares. Perhaps many of you have ridden with Juan to or from the airport.
Thank You For Your Continued Support
On behalf of all of our beneficiaries, I can’t say thank you enough. It’s because of you that we’re able to serve so many. Thank you for being a part of our extraordinary journey. Together, we can continue to make a significant difference in the lives of those in need and continue to enhance the richness here in Puerto Vallarta that we all love. — Frankie
To learn more, volunteer, or donate, please visit vallartacares.org, and be sure to like/follow them on Facebook to stay up to date on what they are doing.
Vallarta Cares is 100% volunteer based, but all of their work would be impossible without the generosity of donors and supporters. If you would like to help the families of Puerto Vallarta get through trying times, please visit vallartacares.org for donation information. If you would like to receive a U.S. tax receipt for your donation, please visit casajojofoundation.org.