CONTACT
Cara Van Dijk
760-776-1766 (o)
760-668-2424 (c)
cara@cvstrat.com
(Indio, California—June 17, 2010) – The H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation is contributing $75,000 to Martha’s Village and Kitchen’s Mexicali Relief Fund. The donation will be made in a formal check presentation on Monday, June 21 at 10 a.m. at Martha’s Village and Kitchen, 83791 Date Avenue, Indio. The emergency grant is earmarked for food and personal hygiene items for victims of the magnitude7.2 earthquake that struck 19 miles southeast of Mexicali on Easter Sunday.
“Although the earthquake is not making headlines two months after it hit, the struggles of its victims are still very much a concern,” said Jose F. Gonzalez, Executive Assistant to the President of Father Joe’s Villages, who has made several trips to Mexicali to assist with relief efforts.
Since volunteers and staff at Martha’s Village began fundraising for the earthquake victims on April 19th, they have delivered supplies totaling more than $150,000, including blankets, air mattresses, toiletries, food and more to the greater Mexicali area. However, with at least 2,000 people still homeless and hundreds still living in tent cities, more help is needed.
“We are granting these funds not only to help people with the most immediate need for basic necessities,” said Chris McGuire, Vice President of Programs for the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation. “But we also hope the donation brings awareness to the plight still facing our neighbors in Mexicali because assistance will be needed for some time. It costs about $200 to feed a family of five for a month, so even small donations can go a long way.”
The Berger Foundation’s donation will be made to Martha’s Village and Kitchen, which is working with the Caritas organization of the Diocese of Mexicali. Volunteers there are currently assessing victims of the quake one-by-one to determine the people with the greatest need.
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The H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation is a private foundation that generously supports educational and other charitable projects. Since 1988, the Berger Foundation has contributed over $300 million to charities throughout Southern California and the United States.
Martha’s Village and Kitchen, a partner agency of Father Joe’s Villages, serves its neighbors by responding to their needs with food, clothing, shelter and an opportunity to become self-sufficient by affirming their dignity with love, compassion and respect.
About Martha’s Village & Kitchen: Founded in 1990, Martha's Village & Kitchen celebrates 20 years of making a difference this year as the largest provider of comprehensive homeless services in Riverside County. The continuum of care at Martha’s Village provides a place for people to reclaim their lives and break the cycle of homelessness. Programs include: Emergency Services such as food, clothing, infant supplies, utility, transportation & rent assistance; meals, emergency and transitional housing for single adults and families, counseling, training and education. Martha's Village also provides primary care medical services at the Clinic to the homeless uninsured within the community. Every dollar raised for Martha's Village stays in the Coachella Valley to serve neighbors in need.
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