Our Genesis
The forerunner of Niños Incapacitados was "Amigos de Salud" in Jocotepec, a small group of expatriates who helped the new Centro de Salud and Silvia Flores' family clinic in 1974. Amigos de Salud became Programa Pro Niños Incapacitados del Lago, A.C. in 1993, with Silvia Flores as its first president. Joan Frost and Lance Elmstrom were also very actively involved in fundraising (creating the original Chili Cook Off event).
Programa Niños Incapacitados was originally comprised of 11 Mexicans and Americans, including Silvia Flores (now with El Centro de Desarrollo in Ajijic), Joan Frost (who worked tirelessly for 37 years helping local children), Margarita Maldonado, who coordinated much of the clinic work in Chapala in the early days,Tom and Berniece Donagan and Joe Schwartz. We have the support of the parents we help through their organization of “Kermés” events in Chapala. The families donate and prepare food for sale, organize entrance fees, etc.. Any funds raised are provided to Niños Incapacitados as a way of “giving back to us” some of the support we give them. We greatly value this effort and their thanks. We are please that the new public hospital is opened in Jocotepec. We hope that more families will use the birthing center. This might reduce some of the children affected by birth defects… until now families had to travel to Guadalajara to give birth in a hospital setting – and few did this due to cost. We hope to work closely with this new hospital and their staff. |
Administrative
2004: Niños moved to electronic data entry for all clinic expenses.
2008: Data entry was moved on-line, saving time for clinic directors. 2009: All accounting moved on-line, making the transition from one treasurer to another seamless and consistent and giving ready access to reports for our Mexican accountant. 2012: Niños entered into a unique, tripartite agreement with Save the Children, Canada and Save the Children Mexico that facilitates tax receipts for Canadian donations. Canadian donors can now write their cheques to Save the Children Canada, with Niños Incapacitados noted as beneficiary in the memo field, and the money is forwarded to us. Save the Children Mexico works with us, receiving regular financial reports on our progress. While our agreement does not provide any funding from Save the Children, it does open up the possibilities that Save the Children Mexico may consider running their own projects in the area, to the benefit of all. We continue to be able to give US donors US tax receipts which are funnelled through the Foundation of Lakeside Charities, a registered charity in the United States. For Mexican taxpayers, we can provide facturas. |
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