Although established in 2002, the U.S.-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership (BPP) has taken on an exciting new phase, re-incorporating to encourage more community foundations to support charitable ventures on both sides of the border.

For the past six years, the International Community Foundation has been a member of the partnership, which consisted of 19 border area community foundations and 12 funding partners. Previously managed by the Synergos Institute, the BPP now is being revamped as an independent organization to include other private, public, corporate, and family foundations and individuals to do more to address socio-economic changes along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The International Community Foundation is currently serving as the BPP’s fiscal sponsor and Richard Kiy is acting as the organization’s U.S. co-chair during 2008-2009.

Migration, rising drug violence, disaffected youth, growing environmental problems, and public health issues, such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, are some of the issues on which the partnership will focus.

“We will be able to serve as the voice of the U.S.-Mexico border region on issues of importance to the communities we lead and the people we serve,” said Andrew Carey, who came from a philanthropic service organization in Indianapolis to become BPP’s executive director.

“Over the next few years,” he said, “we expect to improve the quality of life along the border, especially in terms of health.”

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