"On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...."
This beloved traditional holiday song is the inspiration for a
seasonal blog series, "12 Days/12 Ways", an effort to draw attention
to 12 worthy not for profit groups in Playa del Carmen and along the Riviera
Maya and address their particular needs during this holiday season.
For each of the 12 days of Christmas, the BuyPlaya Blog,
better known as "Life's a Beach" will spotlight a charitable
organization. Many of these may already be familiar to locals and frequent
travelers to this area. Others, perhaps those most in need of recognition and
support, may be new to our readers. It is my plan to do this every year, with
updated information and wish lists.
The "12 Day/12 Ways" list has been completed for 2010. The
organizations are listed in no particular order. If you have a favorite charity
that you feel belongs on this list, collect all of the information you can and
I will be happy to consider your group for inclusion next year.
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PEACE Isla Mujeres is PEACE Isla Mujeres is an initiative of PEACE, a nonprofit
community organization based in Punta de Mita, Mexico. PEACE is a
recognized 501(c)(3) in the United States and a recognized A.C. in
Mexico. PEACE Isla Mujeres is a nonprofit
organization created to improve the community of Isla Mujeres through
Protection and Education re: Animals, Culture & the Environment. A
focus is placed on educational opportunities, youth development,
environmental responsibility, animal care and protection and economic
empowerment. PEACE strives to improve the community of Isla Mujeres
through :
educational opportunities
youth development
environmental responsibility
animal care and protection
economic empowerment
PEACE Isla Mujeres began with a small group of volunteers
interested in the growth, future and integrity of social projects on the
island. After a few informal conversations around kitchen tables, weekly
meetings open to the community were established and together with the
collaboration of PEACE Mexico A.C., a newly hired executive director and a gang
of volunteers and community organizations, a new community-based nonprofit was
formed.
PEACE Isla Mujeres consists of both locals and foreigners who care greatly for
Isla Mujeres. The following goals have been established for this new
community-wide nonprofit:
1. Support for existing non-profit/community groups that have a proven track
record of response to community needs
2. Support for short-term, one-time, and/or emergency response projects
3. Support for new nonprofit/community initiatives with development and
direction
We achieve these goals through community support, grant endowment, fundraising
for local efforts, emergency response, consultation and networking.
Since its inception PEACE Isla Mujeres has awarded over $340,000 mn to community programs on the island!
How can you help?
Donate Funds: PEACE Isla Mujeres is always in need of donations. If you
would like to donate we are officially a nonprofit and you will receive a tax
deductible receipt. Many companies are now giving matching grants to their
employee's charity of choice. Ask your employer about making a matching grant
to PEACE Isla Mujeres.
Donate Toys: Currently there is a toy drive being held for the holidays to provide the less fortunate children on the island with a toy of their very own for Christmas. If you are coming to Isla Mujeres, please consider packing a few Barbie Dolls or Hot Wheels in your suitcase!
Donate Supplies: Our affiliated organizations are always in need of useful supplies.
Below is a list of supplies requested by several community
organizations including The Little Yellow Schoolhouse and La Gloria English School. A wishlist of items is below and a full list including much needed items for local veterinarians, Isla Animals and The Red Cross can be found here.
All material/games need to be in Spanish. Materials for older children (8+) are a priority.
Toner for a photocopy machine - PC 940 CANON
Ink cartridges for a printer- HP 56 and 57
Didactic games for children over 8 years old
Three dimensional puzzles of different shapes
Materials to identify body parts (in Spanish and not puzzles)
Games for memory; auditory and tactile (but not cards)
Materials/manipulatives to use for separation, classification, and matching (but not cards)
Materials for Spanish vocabulary (not cards)
Materials where the objective is to search for the hidden objects in a figure
Cassette tapes of musical instruments, transportation, animals, etc.
Toys with Spanish sounds
Acrylic paint
Oil paint
Childrens' scissors
Paint boxes
Pencils
Colored pencils
Colored printer paper
Erasers
Rulers
markers
Glue
Games that focus on special dates (Mexico), principally for children 8-12 years old
For a new life-skills area, the school is in need of the following kitchen items:
Plastic place settings (non-disposable)
dishes
pots and pans
toaster oven
blender
Contribute to the ReSale Shop: Gently worn closed and used items are gladly welcomed for resale at the PEACE Isla Mujeres resale boutique. 100% of the funds raised go to help support community programs and purchase badly needed supplies and equipment.
Buy the PEACE Cookbook: Now available to reserve at the pre-sale price of just $20 usd or $250 mn - the second edition of "Cocina Isleña" is a
fantastic BILINGUAL (Spanish-English) cookbook offering nearly 200
recipes from local and international residents and restaurants of
Isla Mujeres. The collection was created with the
flavor and available ingredients of Isla Mujeres in mind – and comes
complete with stories to go with many of the recipes, tips on using and
purchasing local produce, measuring/heat conversions, and more! Pre-sale prices are valid on completed made on or before December 24, 2010. Shipping to the US is available.
Volunteer: PEACE Isla Mujeres welcomes volunteers. Whether you live on the island or are coming to the island for vacation, PEACE Isla Mujeres will help you find a volunteer opportunity. There are many wonderful
community groups who would welcome your participation. Whether you have
just an hour to give or a half day or a few days, there is always a way
to help out.
Volunteer Vacations are also arranged in cooperation with Destination: PEACE. During a Destination:PEACE Volunteer Vacation, guests will experience
another culture while making a difference in the lives of others:
children, women, families, animals and the environment. Volunteers help raise awareness, reinforce a sense of world community
and bring hope to the people and animals affiliated with PEACE Isla Mujeres. Each five-day vacation combines volunteerism with the practice
of yoga, introduces participants to authentic Mexican cuisine, and enables them to explore the region and
experience cultural or adventure activities.
For more information:
Anna Douglas
anna@peace-islamujeres.org
www.peace-islamujeres.org
+52 1 99 82 243 323 (Outside of Mexico)
99 82 243 323 (Mexico)
651 222 9482 (US)