PRESS RELEASE

Bi-national Initiative for Border Giving Comes to Cd. Juárez

US-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership
Jovenes Fronterizos, Thematic Meeting: Engaging the Future Today

For immediate release
Contact:  Michelle Jaramillo (619) 948-7608

Cd. Juárez, Mexico- On November 16 and 17 The US-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership (BPP) will convene over 40 representatives of 13 community foundations and 20 young people from all along and across the US Mexico border in Cd. Juárez to formally launch the BPP’s Jovenes Fronterizos initiative.  This event highlights the role young people and their well being, play in the future prosperity of the region.  The conference also affirms the critical role border community foundations can have in engaging, advancing and advocating for the interests of border youth. 
The meeting will educate participants of the special challenges and opportunities faced by border youth, and will focus on practical ideas and tools border community foundations from San Diego to Matamoros can use to most effectively increase opportunity and quality of life for our young border residents. 

According to the 2006 Border Kids Count report produced for the Annie E. Casey Foundation by the Red por los Derechos de la Infancia in Mexico, 37 percent of the population in Mexico’s six northern Border States is  under the age of 18.  While some poverty, literacy and health statistics for these youth are actually better than those of many other Mexican communities, issues like teen pregnancy, drug use, and violence against women and girls place these youngsters at risk,” said Karen Yarza, executive director of Fundación Communitaria de la Frontera Norte in Juárez, co-host of the conference.   Youth on the U.S. side of the border face some daunting obstacles as well.  Child poverty in Texas border counties, approaches, and in some cases, exceeds 50% and is highest among Hispanic children.  “Despite these challenges, border youth are well positioned with their bilingual and bicultural talents.  These attributes, coupled with current regional economic growth trends, embody the area’s great potential, foreshadowing the future for both countries,” stated Ann Tartre, Director of the Border Philanthropy Partnership.

Border community foundations are a premier vehicle for engaging and addressing youth needs because of their unique characteristics:  These organizations are LOCAL, and create a PERMANENT pool of money and talent to respond quickly and effectively to changing local needs. They are governed by a board reflective of the local community and use income from invested donations to provide financial and technical support to the local non-profit community.  Using their native community knowledge and professional expertise, they help area donors fulfill their philanthropic goals by connecting them to the causes about which they feel most passionate in their communities. 
Established in 2002, the U.S.-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership works to improve quality of life for low-income border families and communities via the organizational strengthening of border community foundations and promotion of community philanthropy.    

Through the BPP, twenty-two border community foundations, 15 from the U.S. and 7 from Mexico, receive a myriad of technical and knowledge enhancing services that help these institutions grow smart and strong so that they can in turn be catalysts for positive change in border communities.   These activities are supported by the generous contributions of 12 regional, national and international foundations including, the Ford Foundation, Kellogg foundation and Annie E. Casey Foundation.  Since its inception, the BPP has generated over $15 million dollars in funding to support the development of these important institutions. 

The Fundación Comunitaria de la Frontera Norte, host of the Jóvenes Fronterizos Meeting, has built a robust program to engage youth.  The aim of the foundation’s Youth In Philanthropy program is to promote the creation of initiatives that increase participation and a spirit of philanthropy amongst young people of Juárez.  The program’s grassroots approach includes a partnership with 6 local non-profit organizations that work directly with youth. Each non profit receives a training on different topics that covers the basics from who we are, what is philanthropy, to how to design a project and apply for grants.  Youth Councils can apply for grants of up to $700 for implementing the project the council has developed..  The Youth Council is also responsible for matching 10% of the grant with resources they have themselves mobilized to support the effort.   In just two years, more than 239 youth have participated in 20 youth councils.  Projects that promote leadership voluntarism and well being have already benefited over 2500 Juarenses.    

“I have learned that your economic status is not an obstacle to improving your community” High school Student 3061

 “I have learned that when you want to make a difference, even though there might be problems, it can be done!”  Member of the Youth Council for Change at the Colonia Toribio Ortega Shelter 

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The Synergos Institute is a non-profit organization that mobilizes resources and bridges social and economic divides to reduce poverty and increase equity around the world. Drawing on over 15 years’ experience in Africa, Asia and Latin America, Synergos serves as managing partner of the US-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership, which is supported by 12 national and regional foundations, and includes 22 community foundations from both sides of the border. More information is available at www.borderpartnership.org and www.synergos.org.

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, one of the BPP funders and supporter of this meeting, was established in 1930 “to help people help themselves through the practical application of knowledge and resources to improve their quality of life and that of future generations.” Its programming activities center around the common vision of a world in which each person has a sense of worth; accepts responsibility for self, family, community, and societal well-being; and has the capacity to be productive, and to help create nurturing families, responsive institutions, and healthy communities.