Many travelers to the area like to bring down gifts to give out in addition to tips, or donations for local families.

Ideas for Children´s Toys & Adolescent Gifts
The only recommendation (and requirement, in the case of Give a Toy Get a Smile) is that toys please be new, not used. The toys needed are just the same as kids anywhere would love with a few exceptions. Battery operated toys are not requested (batteries are expensive and are unlikely to be replaced). The children helped here may not have electricity and may not even know what a PlayStation is, so toys that depend on electricity are also not required. Toys that have instructions in English are not recommended, as these children speak Spanish. The children range in age from six months to eighteen years in age.

• trucks
  
• dolls
  
• Legos
  
• dominoes
  
• paints
  
• crayons
  
• perfume
  
• nail polish
  
• hair ribbons or accessories
  
• coloring books
  
• sports balls
  
• make-up kits
  
• a diary
  
• inexpensive jewelry
  
• Nerf toys
  
• pocketbooks
  
• wallets
  
• Barbie dolls
  
• water guns
  
• marbles
  
• Matchbox cars
  
• blocks
  
• stuffed animals
  
• clothing (again, new please)
  

Ideas for School Supplies

• backpacks
  
• notebooks
  
• assignment pads
  
• pencils
  
• pens
  
• markers
  
• erasers
  
• crayons
  
• pencil sharpeners
  
• stickers
  

Give a Toy, Get a Smile
www.giveatoygetasmile.org
This local organization, based in Cancun with additional drop off stations in Playa del Carmen (The Blue Pearl Suites) and Tulum (Cabanas Copal), accepts toys and school supplies year-round for local children. Toys are now being received for the April delivery for Children's Day, and backpacks with school supplies for distribution in August for the new school year.

Hekab Be Library in Akumal:
http://hbwishlist.blogspot.com/
What they need most:
Time - consider donating an afternoon to help with various projects (painting, organizing space, checking in books, etc.). Contact Maggie to plan a time: Maggiemk@aol.com
Money - while last year was one of the best so far in terms of meeting the library's financial needs, please remember that monetary donations are the only thing that helps pay the bills and other library expenses. The budget is modest, but still requires cash flow. No government funds or money from other sources are received.
Old clothes - gently used clothing for teens, children & infants is needed.

Taller Cero in Tulum:
http://www.locogringo.com/forums/tm.a...
http://www.locogringo.com/forums/tm.a...

This group supports the Taller Cero arts workshop in Tulum. This is a non profit - donation run Creative workshop for young kids and young adults. Twice a week they open the palapa roof building and run art classes, theater, library, chess, and more. They also teach pattern making and other fabric arts in hopes that some can earn a living with this knowledge. Bringing donations of Books written in spanish for kids and young adults is preffered, rather than money donations. Spanish books for children are very expensive in Mexico to buy. Story books, song books, picture books etc. would be so welcomed.

Cruz Roja Mexicana Playa del Carmen Delegation

The Mexican Red Cross is a Public Assistance Institution devoted mostly to offer Emergency medical services to the most vulnerable part of the community.

In the Playa del Carmen Delegation there are 4 Main areas:

Medical Services

Family Doctor,  3 MD s in staff that offer medical consultations for very small donation fee (paid only if the patient can) that see an average of 50 patients a day, most of them children.  X Ray services, ultrasound, and lab services at a very low cost.

There are 2 nurses that take of check ups and other services like nebulizations, injections or  I.V.s.

Emergency Medical Response

5 ambulances and one Urban rescue unit responds to a population of over 250 K and is responsible for highway accidents, and all traffic incidents, as well as medical emergencies responding to 114 or 065 the equivalent to the U.S. 911 emergency response service. Most people in Mexico are not insured and the social security  clinic in Playa does not have an ambulance, so the Red Cross takes care of most Emergency Response Medical Services in the Area assisting the Government and their institutions with this essential service  that works too in case of disasters like the last hurricanes Wilma and Emily which affected the area.

Juventud and Volunteers

This being an area that is growing, the Youth section of the Red Cross trains young children and teenagers on basic first aid, and carries out activities throughout the year to get them involved in social work and community action in the areas of taking care and helping old people, environmental awareness and participation on existing programs and  all other social activities that will benefit the community and region.

Training

Playa del Carmen has an Emergency Medical Technitian school that offers training to aspiring EMT volunteers following international guidelines  of the Red Cross and Half Moon standards. Off house ongoing permanent training on first aid and crash courses on emergency response to schools, hotels, public in general involving the community in permanent training and awareness to prevent and better handle the first response to medical emergencies or accidents in the workplace, at home or on the road.

The Red Cross depends solely on donations from Private Entities and individuals to offer this vital service to the community, at no cost, It is a growing delegation in urgent need of a small clinic since the Playa del Carmen area only has 13 beds of public assistance for a population of over 250 K  Red Cross is also building a delegation in Tulum to make the emergency response time more efficient for that city and the surrounding areas and hotels.

Thank you for your kind consideration to this very worthy cause and if you wish to make a donation to the Mexican Red Cross, Playa del Carmen delegation  you can visit www.cruzrojarivieramaya.org  for wire transfer information or contact claudiadeplaya at hotmail.com  

Thank you in advance for your kind consideration and contribution, hope you and your family stay in good health and  best wishes

 

 

Playa del Carmen Animal Rescue Shelter

A no-kill animal shelter dedicated to rescuing and finding permanent homes for injured and abandoned dogs and cats. The shelter is located in Playa del Carmen, heart of the Riviera Maya in Mexico.  focus on dogs, but have also opened  hearts to several needy cats.

All of the animals receive quality veterinary care and special attention to ensure that they are healthy, happy and ready to be adopted into a loving home.

There are many adoptable pets waiting for the right home. Even if you don't live in the Playa del Carmen area, it's a simple matter to bring your Playa pet back home to the U.S. or many other countries. The shelter staff will be happy to help you coordinate the process.

Visit playadelcarmenpets.com  and talk to Andy and Jen  you can also join the Saturday's puppy washing crew.