Boing Boing Charitable Giving Guide the 2010 edition - Boing Boing

Great source for giving ideas!

Boing Boing Charitable Giving Guide, the 2010 edition - Boing Boing

Michael

Notable News: Another billionaire joins the cause...

Mark Zuckerberg Agrees To Give Away The Majority Of His Wealth To Charity

mark-zuckerberg-agrees-to-give-away-the-majority-of-his-wealth-to-charity-2010-12

Zukerberg joins 17 other US billionaires in pledging to give away at least half their fortunes in a philanthropic campaign led by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates.   Not bad!

Michael

Cruz Roja - not quite the "Red Cross" in Mexico

Been staying in Ajijic, on the shores of Lake Chapala.  Cruz Roja is an interesting non-government organization - essentially a roving emergency service provider (including ambulences). More from the website below  ( http://www.cruzrojalakeside.com/ ). December's first donation...    Cheers, Michael

Cruz Roja translates in English to Red Cross.  However, Cruz Roja is not the Red Cross that most of us expats know and love.

North of the border we know the American Red Cross and Canadian Red Cross to be organizations that respond to large-scale emergencies and natural disasters as well as providing international relief.  They sponsor blood drives and maintain blood banks.

Cruz Roja Mexicana has a different role.  Their mission is to provide emergency service 24/7/365 to everyone in the local area.  They operate a 24-hour emergency medical care facility in Chapala.

The Chapala Chapter of Cruz Roja maintains two ambulances in service at all times, one in Chapala and one on the West side of Ajijic.  The ambulances are staffed by trained Paramedics and equipped with oxygen, EKG and defibrillators, back boards and a full array of emergency equipment.  The ambulances respond to every-day emergencies, including car accidents. There is also an urban rescue unit for extracting trapped victims from auto crashes, rooftops, wells and mountainous areas.

Cruz Roja Chapala services are provided on an ability-to-pay basis.  Approximately 65 % of actual costs for the services is paid by the patients.  The balance of the costs for the services and overhead are paid through donations and profits from fundraising events.

Neither Cruz Roja nor the Red Cross is a government agency.  There is no government financial support. They rely on donations of time and money to do their work.