Charity Works: San Miguel de Allende Community Foundation Celebrates 50 Years of Impact

By Nikki Miller

Here, in San Miguel, the heart of México, the San Miguel Community Foundation has shared the vision, the capacity, and the tenacity to create a story that starts with the question: What do you need? How can we help? 1 Heart. 1 Community. 1 San Miguel.

For 50 years, the mission of San Miguel Community Foundation has been to strengthen nonprofits by providing grants where the need is the greatest. As the San Miguel Community Foundation celebrates its 50^th anniversary, they are embracing the future as a community trust; determined to be an even stronger bridge between donors, nonprofits, and the region. Founded as a US 501 (c)(3) with the purpose of creating an umbrella organization that supports qualified Non-Government Organizations with charitable donations. SMCF has contributed nearly $3 million US dollars to locally identified needs in San Miguel de Allende and the surrounding areas, empowering 400-plus community-based projects.

SMCF’s core work organizes, vets and stewards giving with transparency and care through:

• Grants extended to partners twice annually.

• Pass-through giving by donors to designated partners.

• Training and equipping partners to reach their goals.

• Building relationships that support the Trusted Community Partner network.

Through the following six areas of impact, SMCF identifies, empowers, and funds community NGOs that support sustainability in six areas:

Health & Well-Being

From basic medical care to mental health, dignified aging, to animal welfare, SMCF partners help connect families to health and wellness care and support.

With a grant from SMCF, Bom-beros y Paramédicos purchased a digital radio communications systems and compressors that allowed them to use ventilated masks which saved a mother and infant in a house fire last year.

Food & Nutrition

SMCF has funded partners that ensure families, seniors, and children have reliable access to nutritious food. These efforts stabilize households, protect health, and preserve dignity through programs such as So Others May Eat, who received a grant to provide chickens for weekly lunches for a year.

Education & Youth

SMCF supports nonprofits that focus on early childhood development, academic access, vocational training, and youth mentorship to help young people build skills, confidence, and opportunity.

Partners such as Escuela de Educación Especial de San Miguel de Allende, EEESMA, provide a full education and vocational training for hearing impaired children. SMCF also funded an outreach program to identify hearing impaired preschool children, provide early medical care and intervention, and connect families with opportunities for their children.

Arts & Culture

Art and music are the soul of San Miguel and are enjoyed by guests from around the world. SMCF supports organizations that preserve this heritage, expand creative access, and nurture artistic expression to protect the arts for local children and their families.

Through partners like El Recreo de San Miguel, also known as El Sindicato, SMCF supplied a new sound system for the theater that brings school-aged children to free theater experiences, and provides local classes in dance, music, and theater for local children to experience the arts.

Local Enterprise

Economic stability strengthens families and neighborhoods. SMCF partners help local entrepreneurs, artisans and youth get the resources, job training, and tools they need to build sustainable livelihoods.

For example, SMCF funded a wood cutting machine for Centro Educativo Valle Las Nubes. Through a four-year training program with specializations in natural cosmetics, textile design, botanical pressing, carpentry and blacksmithing, and food preparation they prepare young women for life-vocations.

Environmental Sustainability

San Miguel’s future depends on protecting its land, water, and precious resources. Trusted Community Partners focus on conservation, water stewardship, sustainable agriculture, and restoration of watersheds.

San Miguel faces a significant water crisis. SMCF recently supported Tikkun Centro para la Ecologia’s project; Agua para la vida: Ecological Restoration and Education. The Tikkun Center is building water, food, health and ecological resilience for rural communities.

For 50 years, SMCF has stood at the center of generosity in San Miguel. As it looks forward to the next 50 years, the foundation is asking you to join them.

“Together, we can help make sure that every person, animal, and neighborhood in wider San Miguel de Allende can thrive. Thank you for joining us and dreaming big for the next 50 years and beyond.” Anna Copeland, SMCF Board Member

How Can You Help?

Learn more at www.smcf.mx Share the story of generosity and invite others to join.

Support a local non-profit through your tax-exempt pass-through donation to the SMCF

Contribute to a community of care and support by volunteering your time.