Organization:

Since 1988, Project Mexico has been involving young people “in the alleviation of suffering by building homes for Mexico’s poor.” Hundreds of homes have been built for needy families with the help of nearly 10,000 volunteers. In 1996 the outreach expanded through the opening of St. Innocent Orthodox Orphanage in Tijuana which provides a home for teenage boys who live on the streets or who have been put out of other orphanages. Project Mexico is an official Endorsed Organization by the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA).

Projects:

Assisted with funding for the purchase of the land where St. Innocent Orphanage and Mission Center is located. A building on the property is named in honor of the founder of the Foundation (Virginia Farah) and for one of its first trustees (Vivian Coury).

Funded programs to educate organizations in institutional development.

Assisted in the establishment of a home building project manager position.

Funded the establishment of an institutional development and public relations program.

Funded establishment of a position for a full-time priest at the orphanage.

Funded organization’s upgrade of information technology systems and acquisition of institutional development software systems.

Funded a program for institutional board development, strategic planning and capital campaign development.

Provided a challenge matching grant for the organization’s capital campaign. Funds are to be used for construction of vocational center, single-family housing and independent living facilities for older boys.