From the Publisher's Desk October 2003

From the Publisher's Desk

Charity Funds Sitting Idle

As a community newspaper, the Pacific Pearl often receives enquiries from people planning on visiting Mazatlán asking what charities in our city could use some help. These generous folks know the standard of living here is far below that of the States and Canada.

Within the Mazatlán community there are numerous Mazatleco and foreign groups, aside from many church groups, whose aim is to help the community where it is most needed. The aims of these organizations are altruistic. Their hearts are in the right place.

Over the past eleven years, our paper has donated free space to local charities to announce their fundraising activities. However, the Pacific Pearl has recently learned that at least three non-church, foreign charitable groups are sitting on a combination of $60,000US in donations in their bank accounts. Why? We are sure the good people who gave the donations did not intend for it to languish in a bank account.

People in need have reached a crisis point. They need help now. Not next month. Not next year. By not dispensing the funds immediately, potential and often desperate recipients of the donations are left out in the cold. Charity funds in the bank help no one.

The Pacific Pearl maintains a “drop box” for several charity organizations in Mazatlán, such as orphanages and old age homes, where we take tangible items (a cane, clothing, pots & pans) and deliver them immediately to the institutions. We do not take monetary donations.

We point this problem out to our readers not because we wish to act as a watchdog, but simply because we care about the people in our city.

To those well-meaning charitable groups with $60,000US in their bank accounts who continue to solicit monetary donations, we suggest you distribute your charitable funds to those in need, now.

And on this topic, November´s Pacific Pearl will carry a story about the Mazatlán Orphanage which, with a new and invigorated volunteer Board of Directors, aims to become a model orphanage.

Michael J. Veselik

Publisher