For years people have been donating in-kind goods to Mexico.  Sometimes such gifts have been made legally but more often than not, in-kind donations have been made informally and outside the law due to the failure on the part of donors to understand the rules and ramifications.  Recognizing the lack of understanding that most donors have about in-kind donations, the in-kind guide has been developed to help those who want to give physical items to Mexico and respect the rules. 

It must be pointed out that in-kind donations are not without costs.  Expenses include transportation to get to the U.S./Mexico Border warehouse/storage facility; staff time in the U.S. and Mexico to process the paperwork; and finally transportation into Mexico.  The non-governmental organizations (NGOs), who serve as the beneficiaries, (may be able to absorb these expenses but donors should be aware of the potential hardship that may be placed on the NGOs receiving the donations.  For this reason, in-kind donations that are accompanied with a cash grant often make the most sense to ensure that the donation will get to its intended location and be used for the intended purpose.

While many individuals may have the best intentions to donate items to Mexico the consequences for bringing illegal items across the border can be severe.  Our hope is that the in-kind guide serves as a useful reference that helps promote more generosity and goodwill between the U.S. and Mexico.

»Download the In-Kind Donations Guide to Mexico in English
»Download the In-Kind Donations Guide to Mexico in Spanish