Community foundations in Mexico foster resilience

Monterrey, Nuevo León, December 13, 2020.— Members of the Alliance of Community Foundations of Mexico have drawn on their creativity and flexibility to develop and implement approximately 65 initiatives providing immediate support to the population during the COVID-19 emergency, benefiting more than 79,000 people in 15 states across the country. 

More than nine months after the start of the pandemic in Mexico, Comunalia’s members are once again demonstrating their ability to respond, collaborate, and work strategically as they take action in their communities to mitigate the social, health, and economic impacts of the crisis in Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Nayarit, Jalisco, Querétaro, Puebla, Edomex, Morelos, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo.

According to estimates, the most socially disadvantaged populations in the country are facing an even wider inequality gap than before the pandemic; as a result, the efforts of organized civil society organizations—including community foundations and grassroots groups—have become the driving force behind the recovery of their communities.  

In total, at least $318,984,311 pesos have been invested in areas such as health, economic support, and food security, which have resulted in the distribution of food packages, hospital equipment and medical supplies, vouchers for basic food items, community kitchens, school supplies, entrepreneurship workshops, the establishment of medical facilities, financial assistance for the unemployed, and other initiatives.

In the health sector, at least 15,014 people benefited from 25 initiatives carried out by 11 community foundations, including Amigos de San Cristóbal, Comunidar, Corporativa de Fundaciones, Fundación Comunitaria Cozumel, Fundación Comunitaria Malinalco, Fundación Comunitaria Puebla, FECHAC, Fundación Internacional de la Comunidad, Fundación Punta de Mita, Fundación Merced Coahuila, and Merced Querétaro, with an investment of more than 113 million pesos to date.

The financial resources invested in the health sector also contributed to the establishment of two hospitals and provided financial support to 123 medical institutions across the country as part of the efforts of community foundations.

The current crisis has hit the labor market hard, leaving thousands of people unemployed. Consequently, to promote economic recovery, more than 123 million pesos have been allocated to assist at least 69,781 people.

Faced with a decline in income and the effects of public health restrictions, various segments of the population have also found themselves unable to afford a basic basket of goods. In this regard, 15 community foundations launched 34 initiatives to ensure food security for more than 770,000 people, with an investment of $169,563,574 pesos. 

The impact achieved to date has been made possible by the collaboration and coordination among various partners, in addition to community foundations. These include civil society organizations, with which 40 projects are being carried out; companies, with 34 initiatives; the government, with 4 programs; universities, with 10 projects; and community-based organizations, with 14 partnerships.

In addition to adapting their initiatives and creating new funds in direct response to COVID-19, the community foundations in the alliance are fostering a sense of belonging and community connection, with a focus on the most vulnerable populations. They are also collaborating to collect data on the sector in the face of the pandemic, have created safe and healthy workspaces, and have expanded their communication channels. 

Photo credit: Corporativa de Fundaciones