CARTA DEL PRESIDENTE

It is the beginning of a New Year, and with it comes the opportunity to help even more children. We do not take this responsibility lightly. Everything we accomplish is possible because of the steadfast support of our community. Our end‑of‑year campaign was especially successful, and we are deeply grateful.

 

When I write these letters, I often share stories about the children we assist. From time to time, I also try to explain how we operate so that our community understands our processes. Transparency is a basic obligation, and today I want to offer some insight.

 

At our Annual General Meeting, the Treasurer of Niños Incapacitados, Lori Runquist, gave a compelling explanation of how we manage the funds entrusted to us. I want to share some of her words with you because they reflect the care and integrity behind our work:

 

“Spending other people’s money comes with an inherent sense of responsibility. Donating to charity is a gracious gift, often emotional, and we don’t take that lightly.

We work with five local financial institutions, each serving a specific purpose. This structure provides practical redundancy and diversification that protects our operations. For example, when we reimburse parents for medical expenses for their children, we use a designated institution where we issue checks directly to them. This allows us to avoid carrying cash and gives our parents—especially the mothers—an opportunity to engage with the banking system. Many have never used a bank before, and we are helping them discover the advantages.

 

This summer, our risk‑management approach was put to the test. When the United States Treasury Department sanctioned certain Mexican financial institutions, the effects were felt immediately in Ajijic. The sanctions prohibited all U.S. financial transactions with the affected institutions. Because we receive foreign charitable funds through passthrough 501(c)(3) organizations, we could have been significantly impacted.

However, as soon as we became aware of the situation, we worked closely with our Financial Committee to mitigate any potential disruption. Within days—before the sanctions took effect—we had a plan in place.

 

How did this affect PPNI and our children? It didn’t. Our foundational safeguards were already established. Yes, we had to redirect some incoming funds, update wire instructions, adjust routing numbers and contact a few donors. But the core stability of our mission — your mission with us — remained intact.  This is the message the Board wants to convey: your support is handled with care, foresight and unwavering responsibility.”

 

President's NOTE: Finally, it is with a bit of a lump in my throat that I report to you that Bill Dingwall, after 15 years of devoted service to Niños Incapacitados, has retired.  Bill, we wish you the best.

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Lydia Bodin

President, Niños Incapacitados