Forums > General > General Forum

noah

Feb 9, 2004, 7:38 PM

Post #1 of 7 (642 views)

Shortcut

orphanage

Can't Post |

Hi, My name is Bernadette living here in Tucson. I have recently become involved in an orphanage in Guadalajara called Casa Hogar Estancia Maria. I am trying to get a truck load of toys and cribs down to Tlaquepaque. Does anyone have any suggestions to go about this. We do not have alot of money and the orphanage is in really bad shape and need this stuff as soon as possible.??????

Please help me if you are able... Gracias.

you can email me at Bernimike@netzero.com Gracias

jennifer rose

Feb 9, 2004, 7:55 PM

Post #2 of 7 (632 views)

Shortcut

Re: [noah] orphanage

Can't Post |

With all due respect, you should consider that toys and cribs can be purchased right here in Mexico for less -- or at least the same -- as you'd spend on transporting them from Arizona to Guadalajara.

PBGollaz

Feb 10, 2004, 7:18 AM

Post #3 of 7 (599 views)

Shortcut

Re: [jennifer rose] orphanage

Can't Post | Private Reply

Also, even that kind of charitable donation can get caught up in government red tape. When we lived in Laredo, Texas, we used to hear frequently about well-meaning persons who tried to donate gifts to Mexican organizations but were stopped because they didn't have the right "permits." In at least two cases the donations were of food -- and it spoiled while waiting for approval from the Mexican government to be imported.

Donations of labor or cash are much more likely to be of immediate use.

Patrick
Zapopan, Jalisco, México

Carron

Feb 10, 2004, 8:00 AM

Post #4 of 7 (586 views)

Shortcut

Re: [pbgollaz] orphanage

Can't Post | Private Reply

Yes, I have read posts in the past in which church groups and other charities tried to bring goods into Mexico and were denied by Mexican customs at the border. Also trying to ship used clothing, for example, from the US into Mexico is prohibitively expensive, duty being more than the value of the contents.

Here in Acuña that problem seems to be solved expediently. Our International Bridge is quite long and on the south lanes coming into Mexico, in a stretch of no-man's land between the custom booths of the two countries that is technically on the US side, there are two small plazas used by Border Patrol to park their vans when returning illegals. In spite of all the "No Parking" signs, goods are often exchanged here. Before Christmas especially church vans loaded with Christian teenagers and donated clothes and toys stop on the plazas. Mexicans in pickup trucks or on foot meet them there. The gifts from the US are given, the vans make a U-turn back to Del Rio without ever having to go through Mexican customs, and the locals take the gifts back to be distributed here.

jennifer rose

Feb 10, 2004, 8:23 AM

Post #5 of 7 (576 views)

Shortcut

Re: [pbgollaz] orphanage

Can't Post |

At http://www.aduanas.sat.gob.mx/aga.asp?Q=r2211 is the relevant page for SAT's regs on donations.

Gifts of cash can create a double dose of help -- to the vendor as well as the ultimate recipient of the merchandise.

mavis1206

Feb 10, 2004, 1:56 PM

Post #6 of 7 (521 views)

Shortcut

Re: [jennifer rose] orphanage

Can't Post | Private Reply

While it is generally true for most items, I donate to various organizations in the Puerto Vallarta area, among them a hospital and the Red Cross. There are many medical items available in the USA which cannot be found in Mexico (at least not on the coast). For example, one of the nurses can't find the Chucks (blue disposable waterproof bed liners. And she has difficulty finding the one-use alcohol wipes, used to sterilize a site before giving an injection. In these cases, there is not a choice of buying locally.

TomG

Feb 12, 2004, 10:44 PM

Post #7 of 7 (426 views)

Shortcut

Re: [jennifer rose] orphanage

Can't Post | Private Reply

With added respect, why the heck doesn't the Mexican government allow people of good will, and charities, to help its citizens? It is really a simple question. Oh, they will….with cash at retail. Awfully picky.

Two bits the goods are used. I just don’t readily picture the charity folks running down to Nieman-Marcus and loading up a 26,000 lb. GVW straight van-truck with kids’ stuff. Folks that have that kind of money generally don’t do things like that – too hands on. Charity with used stuff is a good thing.

Anybody ever wonder why every second Mexican standing on a bus stop has a nylon jacket with “Cleveland Bigtime Bowler - Kuwalski” written on the back? Lemme help – it’s used. There are between 1 and 2 miles of warehouses of baled used clothing side by side on the USA side of the McAllen crossing. Nope, these are not holding pens for charity – they are businesses that buy the baled clothes for 6 cents a pound up north and sell them for about 30 cents/lb. to vendors who show up in the weekend markets all over Mexico. There they sell for a great deal more than used clothing sells for in the Goodwill’s and the like up north. Now what is the sense of poor people in a poor country paying more for the same used clothing than second-hand users in a rich country? If commerce like this is what makes the Mexican economy go, then why isn’t the economy racing?

If the truly needy are better served by an open commerce approach, I’m puzzled why need still exists.

The immigrants simply buy clothing at “la secunda” up north and send it back with anyone who will carry it. It is well received by there relatives.