4 Ways to give back while you are in Puerto Vallarta
Garza Blanca’s full-time homeowners are a wonderful mix of US Citizens, Canadians and Mexicans, some of whom live in paradise year round while others are not yet ready to retire in the sun, preferring to pop back and forth to spend as much time as possible at their favorite home away from home. Many Garza Blanca residents realize just how fortunate they are and spend time and money “giving back.” How about you? Do you want to leave an ordinary mark on this world or an extraordinary one?
Here are four “GIVE BACK” activities that might fill your days with purpose in paradise bringing you a rewarding experience helping others in need.
- PASITOS DE LUZ
Disabled children in Banderas Bay need your support and the local charity, Pasitos de Luz, can help you to do just that. This non-profit organization is a local rehabilitation center that offers daily schooling to over 120 severely disabled children that come from households experiencing extreme poverty. These children are offered care and rehabilitation activities free of charge. A visit to their facility might just change your life. If you wish to pay a visit or get involved, the charity needs all types of volunteers from people with social media and teaching skills to therapists and doctors, as well as those who could help with collecting and importing aid from outside of the country, such as wheelchairs and other equipment. More information can be found on their web site. http://www.pasitosdeluz.org/.
- THERAPIES UNITE
Therapies Unite was started by a young, passionate physiotherapist from Britain, Laura Brown, who launched the charitable association just over 4 years ago. This valuable non-profit organization works with people of all ages with disabilities, providing much needed rehabilitation services. See some of their success stories for inspiration. Therapies Unite runs free therapy services that involve activities such as swimming, cycling and dance as well as provides free specialized therapy and medical equipment to those in need. The charity has recently brought three containers of wheelchairs from the United Kingdom but need ongoing support of funds as well as people to help coordinate places for the swimming therapy sessions, studios for rehabilitation etc. More info on their web site. http://www.therapiesunite.com/
- ANIMAL RESCUE
If you love animals. Did you know that there is an SPCA in Puerto Vallarta?
Privately run, this charity hosts two weekly tours during high season where you can visit, cuddle kitties, walk dogs, and meet new furr-ever friends who share a common love of animals. Some of the rescue stories are very sad but once you visit and follow their page and see how to date over 250 animals have traveled from Puerto Vallarta to Canada and the US, you might form part of their support family by donating, fostering, traveling with an animal or networking for their cause. Tours can be booked by visiting their web site www.spcapv.com.
- EAGLE’S WINGS FOUNDATION
Another notable charity operating in Puerto Vallarta as well as other vacation destinations in Mexico, such as Cancun and Cabo San Lucas, the Eagle’s Wings Foundation is a non-profit organization conceived by the late Jim McCarthy in 1999, with the support of Garza Blanca’s owner and his business partners at the Villa Group Resorts. The altruistic foundation receives donations, in kind gifts and volunteering to support a variety of local projects, such as giving scholarships for schooling, providing educational materials and allocating grants for ongoing established grass root charities in Puerto Vallarta. To date, the Eagle’s Wings Foundation has granted over one million dollars both in-kind and cash donations to local charities. Garza Blanca residents and guests are invited, in any way they wish, to support this foundation which is close to the hearts of the founder of Garza Blanca and his wife who is currently the President of the charity.