ICF AWARDS OVER $170,000 IN GRANTS IN FEBRUARY/MARCH, 2002

Mainly Mozart Festival was awarded $145,600 to support international travel, musician fees, and educational programs to primary schools associated with the Orchestra of the Californias and Cuarteto Latinoamericano held in La Paz, B.C.S., Tijuana, B.C., Mexicali, B.C., San Diego, San Gabriel and San Luis Obispo from February 7th to the 17th, 2002. This grant is made from the Orchestra of the Californias Fund established by Jill E. Barad.

Siempre Semillas in Baja California Sur received $3,500 to provide charitable support for the solar system and kitchen supplies for the seed house "Living Genealogy" and for the basic maintenance of the botanical garden for the month of February. This grant was made from the Siempre Semillas Fund.

Cáritas de Baja California Sur (Cáritas) was granted $12,500 to provide food aid to the neediest victims of Hurricane Juliette that devastated 1,000 homes in Colonia Mesa Colorado of Los Cabos, B.C.S on September 25th, 2001. The grant was made some four months after the hurricane to support Cáritas on-going efforts to provide aid to the colonia’s neediest families and their children, many of whom are suffering from malnutrition. The plight of the families in Colonia Mesa Colorado is unique as the majority are recent migrants from the State of Oaxaca who not only lost their homes to the hurricane but many also recently lost their jobs. The downturn in the local economy in the aftermath of September 11th led to almost a 40% decline in tourism to Los Cabos leaving countless service workers (hotel/restaurant workers, janitors, construction workers) unemployed. ICF’s grant was made in partnership with the local charitable organization Juntos Ayudamos a Los Cabos, A.C. and the voluntary efforts of Victor Mena and Fabiola Sotomayor who collectively raised $10,000 from area businesses to help assist in home re-construction. Centro de Artes Escénicas del Noroeste (CAEN) received $2,190 to support an on-going Ocean Oasis educational program at Centro Cultural Tijuana (CECUT) by providing scholarships to 400 Tijuana children. This grant was made possible from the Sempra Energy International Community Investment Fund.

ICF’s International Children’s Fund received $4,000 to support organization helping women and children. This grant is from the Crane Family International Fund at ICF.