Serving Our Community
An important aspect of the International Women’s Club of Cancun is our on-going commitment to community service projects. Our fundraisers provide a way to combine the social and charitable aspects of the Club.

IWC is a legally constituted tax-exempt Civil Association in Mexico under the name Club Internacional de Damas de Cancún, A.C. Club dues cover club expenses and because of this we are able to give 100% of the money we raise directly to charity!

2008 Giving
Our primary charities for 2008 include PAIPID A.C. and Pro Niños Excepcionales A.C. PAIPID provides residential hospice services at the Ciudad de la Alegría, many of their patients suffer from AIDS. Pro Niños Excepcionales A.C. provides support for children with autism, Down’s syndrome and other disabilities.

In 2008 we are also supporting el Hogar de los Ancianos (a home for the elderly) and La Casita (an orphanage) through donations of milk and eggs.

2007 Giving
In 2007 the IWC again made the Hogar de los Ancianos, the home for the elderly at la Ciudad de la Alegría, our primary charity. Our support this year included the purchase of a washing machine, a freezer, ceiling fans, beds and other much needed items. Dedicated IWC members also visited the elderly residents twice monthly.

In addition the IWC made donations of funds and goods the following organizations Caritas de Quintana Roo, DIF: Dia del Niño, La Casita Orphanage and the Red Cross to help the flood victims in Tabasco.

2006 Giving
In 2006 the International Women’s Club of Cancun supported the Hogar de los Ancianos, the home for the elderly at la Ciudad de la Alegría. Dedicated IWC members visited the home twice a month every month. By year-end they had developed a very special bond with the residents of the home.

The IWC was also able to raise money to buy a new refrigerator for the Hogar de los Ancianos. The funds raised at our Halloween Party went to this cause.

And at our traditional Holiday Tea IWC members donated Christmas gifts for the residents of the Hogar de los Ancianos. On December 23rd those gifts were distributed to the residents. See Jane’s account of this special day on the front page of this issue.

Also in 2006 the IWC was able to help APAFDHEM, which is a charity for children with Down’s Syndrome. We were able to buy them a much-needed new computer.

We are also proud that we were able to help the La Casita home for children in 2006. We bought them a washing machine and we paid for repairs to their roof, windows and mosquiteros.

2005 Giving
Living With HIV-AIDS - 2005’s sole beneficiary was a local grass-roots organization assisting those living with AIDS, Viviendo Con Sida. All of our beneficiary activities focused on this organization, including monthly food staples delivered directly to households, gifts to children with AIDS or whose family member has AIDS, and post-Wilma allotments for food and physical repairs.

How We Give
For security and tax record purposes, IWC does not provide funds directly to beneficiaries. Rather, we directly purchase requested items or contract repairs for our beneficiaries. Community Services Officers and the Treasurer provide monthly activity reports at IWC member meetings.

Past Fundraising Efforts
Over the years our fundraisers have supported the efforts of several groups and organizations working to better the community: Años Dorados, APAFDEM, Arcoiris, ASTRA, Banco de Alimentos de Cancún, Cancerlogica de Q. Roo, Caritas, Casa Hogar, DIF, Educación Especial Luis Pasteur, Fundación Pro-Sindrome de Down de Cancún, FUNDAGEN, Hospital General, Instituto de Mujeres de Q. Roo, La Casita, M.E.S.E., Niños Especiales, PaiPid, Red Cross, Ruta de Mil Amores, Voz y Fuerza. Community Service also works throughout the year on several smaller projects, making bike donations to DIF for Children’s Day, sack lunches for Children’s Day at the CAM schools, or sponsoring a student by donating funds from our annual scholarship program and distributing food staples to those in need.