The San Miguel Community Foundation (SMCF) has completed another successful year of grant donations to some of San Miguel’s most needy charities.
During the past year local charities received a total $126,104 from SMCF, an increase of $8000 over 2009. The grants went to 16 organizations.
Although founded over 30 years ago as a pass-through to provide U.S. tax deductible receipts for U.S. citizens contributing to qualified Mexican charities, which it still does, SMCF is much more than that.
SMCF uses its own earnings to underwrite community projects not undertaken by specific organization. Donations to SMCF come from generous people in our community through bequests such as cash donations, houses, land and other non-monetary items. The distribution of grants twice a year from this endowment pool has become its most important function. These donations are tax deductible.
Typical of last year’s grants were funds given to Casita Linda to help build two homes for poor families in the campo.
Aid was also provided to Cruz Roja. Three Mexican foundations made a country-wide offer to Cruz Roja chapters that if they were able to purchase one ambulance, they would match it with a second ambulance. SMCF provided a matching grant to our local chapter and two ambulances were secured for SMA. SMCF also provided Cruz Roja with trauma equipment and oxygen therapy equipment.
SMCF donated money to the Lions Club for diabetes testing, matched a grant requested by the Mid-day Rotary Club to refurbish a fire truck for the Bomberos, helped fund a spay and neuter clinic van for Amigos de Animales and a new cattery for the SPA, and provided funds for scholarships to Mujeres en Cambio and Jovenes Adelante. Many other organizations were helped in similar ways.
SMCF would like to thank each and every one of you who has made a donation this year. It is good to remember, especially in this time of economic hardship, which affects the neediest the most, the adage of Norman MacEwan “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
SMCF is holding a seminar on March 11 on estate planning. It will emphasize how you can take advantage of estate planning options. The speaker is Mike Jarvis, a financial planner from the U.S. Look for more information in future Atencion ads and articles. Mark your calendar now.
For more information about SMCF please go to the website at www.sanmiguelcommunityfoundation.org or call 152-7447 to speak to the SMCF bi-lingual administrator, Araceli Cerritos.
