Assist Cozumel
Ways to Assist the Island of Cozumel
As everyone is aware, the island of Cozumel is essentially shut down and has zero-tourism. Coming on the apex of our high-season it’s caused 
a significant amount of hardship to many island families who use high season as a way to save money for the rest of the year.
Island businesses, and specifically restaurants and water-sports operators have been very hard hit, since many of their employees rely upon their tips. If you’ve got a strong connection to the island, or have a special relationship with any of it’s residents we URGE you to support these efforts any way you can.
Ways to Help Island Businesses & Their Employees
Many restaurants and watersports operators have “virtual tip jars” or GoFundMe accounts, that are a great way to provide direct help to friends.
Gift cards, from Sam’s, Soriana, or other services are a great option, in addition to the norm of PayPal or Xoom.
Several businesses are offering a pay-it-forward gift certificate, where you can purchase services now to be used for a future island visit.
The options to provide direct help are so numerous – it’s really too large to list – however, we urge you to get in touch with your friends here on island and see what you can do to provide help
Organizations to Help the Island
Caritas Food Bank
Two week’s ago Cozumel 4 You was lucky enough to run a story by Rhonda Penzell regarding the food bank that Carita’s has set up. You can 
find the link (and more information) here. https://www.cozumel4you.com/cozumel-people/cozumel-food-bank/
Cozumel’s food bank is currently feeding 7000 families a month.
PM Rhonda Penzell for PayPal info and food drop off. Caritas will even pick up so you can continue social distancing if on the island.
Rotary Club of Cozumel
The Rotary Club of Cozumel will begin collecting funds for a food drive beginning this Saturday, April 4th. We will be partnering with 
Fundación Cozumel to provide much needed relief to those who are directly affected by this global crisis. Non-perishable goods will be purchased and distributed by volunteers from the civil organizations and members of the Rotary Club.
#UnionYFuerzaCozumel/OSC, a non profit which focuses on the lower income community, will provide the logistics of distribution based on their ongoing studies of the population.
Please find it in your hearts to donate.
No amount is too small.
If you are interested in supporting this fundraising effort please make a PayPal donation to:
https://www.paypal.me/FundacionCozumel
When making your donation on PayPal please note the funds are for the Rotary food bank project.
Make sure you set the donation to be sent in dollars.
If you would like more information or you would like to join in the efforts of helping Cozumel through Rotary International contact Ernesto Alvarez @ 9871405809
COPARMEX
Here at Coparmex we have already secured a few hundred food kits, or basic dispensaries for a home, their cost is 179.90 (approximately 8 usd) they include 26 items.
Since we know that it is very important to make this effort as transparent as possible, you may deposit or transfer the amount to the Union’s Account through a Local or International Bank, you can also be Invoiced if needed. Cash donations are also accepted (we can have someone pick them up, so you do not need to leave your house).
Unfortunately, it is quite unpractical to use a PayPal Account currently due to high commissions and the long time they take to reimburse.
You can trust our Organization to hand them out to people who are in desperate need of them, as we already have in place the logistics and safety protocol to do it, in order to ensure that we have the less people out on the streets as possible.
But there is always the option the option for you to either pick them up and deliver them yourselves to your personnel or the selected Goodwill organization of your choice.
You may contact us to join our efforts through the following channels or ask for our account information or more details of our program.
Email: cecozumel@gmail.com
Direct Message our Facebook Page:
Coparmex Cozumel
We thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity and encourage you to continue supporting local businesses, for they need you more than ever.
God Bless You and Please STAY SAFE!!!
Friends of Cozumel
We are an informal group of locals and visitors that want to continually give back to the community with various projects including our annual distribution of school supplies to 500+ students. We have a history of working with various families on the island and we know these families quite well and their unique situations. During this COVID-19 pandemic we have been purchasing and providing dispensaries to
Photo Courtesy of the Friends of Cozumel
families that typically fit one of the following criteria:
1) Single mothers that have a difficult time keeping their children fed;
2) New mothers with babies that frequently have a hard time producing enough milk (poor nutrition). We also provide them formula and baby food along with ecological, reusable diapers and baby wipes;
3) Elderly citizens that have no children or relatives to assist with food
4) Families with special needs children
We maintain contact with these families and provide despensas on an “as needed” basis. With the recent government distribution, we have checked to ensure that they have received a package from the government and then will follow up with despensas when those run out. We also provide basic cleaning products (cloro, dish soap, hand sanitizer and antibacterial soap).
We welcome donations which we can receive via private check to an address in the United States or via Paypal. We also have local donors that purchase products after we’ve provided them a list of items we need to fill our standard despensa package as well as special needs (i.e. NAN1 formula, baby wipes, etc.) You can see some of our blog postings and recent photos on our website www.friendsofcozumel.com or our Facebook page “Friends of Cozumel“.
We do have the situation of donors who want to “Sponsor” specific families so we accept their donations and provide them a description of the family . . . sometimes share photos IF the family agrees to it or they are families we know well. We don’t “advertise” or promote what we do as we prefer to do it as a low key kind of effort and our goal is not to be self-promoting or publicly recognize donors for their contributions. We tend to have long-term relationships with these families but our goal is to help them become self-sufficient . . . not depend on donations over time. Some of thee families have medical needs, especially now, to help them pay for medications or with transportation if they have special conditions that require they go to the mainland to see specialists. We aren’t set up to support hundreds or thousands of families but target to help those with the greatest needs.
Cuenta Conmigo Cozumel
“Cuenta Conmigo Cozumel” (Count On Me Cozumel) that brings together more than 50 young volunteers who will be working from their homes to concentrate, organize and promote information that helps our island during the contingency. Right now we are helping Fundación Cozumel and Red de OSC de Isla Cozumel to promote a fundraising campaign.
Photo Courtesy of Rhonda Penzell
You can like our Facebook page by clicking on this link:??
https://www.facebook.com/Cuenta-Conmigo-Cozumel-100148701660474/
You can read about the fundraising campaign here.??
More than +20K families depend on tourism, which represents a total of 90% of our entire population. Many have lost their single source of income or have lost their jobs entirely.
During this dire situation there is an obvious need to fulfill their means of subsistence, including food and medicine. Here’s how you can help! ?
? With the campaign #EnCozumelUnidosComemosTodos, Red de OSC de Isla Cozumel and Fundación Cozumel are raising funds to provide food aid for 1,500 families of our Cozumel community.
From this moment on, donations to the campaign #EnCozumelUnidosComemosTodos are available.
Donate through:
1. https://donadora.org/unidoscomemostodos
2. Tax-deductible donations by deposit or bank transfer to account: Fundación Comunitaria Cozumel IAP RFC: FCC910123HH7 Bank: Scotiabank Inverlat SA Account number: 22200002658 Interbank CLABE: 0446922220026582
SWIFT: MBCOMXMM
3. paypal.me/FundacionCozumel
Notes must specify UnidosComemos Todos. Join in! It’s time to show support to our people. Your contribution is very important.
? No amount is too small. Please help us spread the word!
#CountOnMeCozumel #CuentaConmigoCozumel
The Humane Society of Cozumel Island
As most of you already know the cruise industry has suspended all cruise ships in the Caribbean and travel is continuing to be restricted around the globe. With people staying in place and no visitors coming to the island we are very concerned for the dogs and cats of Cozumel.
Donations for our day to day operations will be cut by more than 50%. In order to keep on our staff of 12 full time dedicated employees, care for our 30 (and growing) dogs and cats, continue our permanent free spay & neuter project and receive the many many dogs that will inevitably be abandoned during these difficult times we will need your help.
On top of everything… we are currently struggling with a bad distemper outbreak on the island 🙁 a lot of pets need our help right now!
We need your help to get through this! Please make a donation that will go directly to our daily expenses, food for our cats and dogs, vaccines, tests, and all the medical supplies we need in order to attend all those helpless and abandoned cats and dogs that need us.
Please help us!
Donate through PayPal (tax deductible in the US)
Please make a donation via PayPal :
Tax deductible friendshsci@gmail.com
You can also mail a check to :
Friends of the Cozumel Humane Society (tax deductible)
Or Humane Society of Cozumel Island
2169 Winding Creek Dr S
Grapevine Texas 76051
Grassroots Organizations on the ground in Cozumel
Cocinas Communitarias Cozumel
Wendy Elizabeth and her family cook 6 – 7 days a week for between 78 – 82 people in her colonia (She lives in CTM) They’d love a donation 
of any food product – meat, vegetables, tortillas etc. They’re also looking for large yogurt containers to dispense food. Wendy’s house is located on Calle 35 Sur entre 75 y 85. (5 houses away from “San Pedro y San Pablo” Church – There’s a sign out front saying they give away food.) You can find the church on Google maps. She and her father (who is a professional chef) have come up with a weekly menu that is both economical and easy to shop for and help donate. They’re also willing to accept dispensas. Her cell number is 987 1181620
Te lo Cambio por Despensa
Started by Nancy Vianeth Alvarado Camarillo – this group was created as a way to pick up/drop off donations to people who really need them, as well people looking for a way to trade for what they need
https://www.facebook.com/groups/601190167277739/?hc_location=ufi
Cozumel covid19 apoyo a doctores, hospitales y personal médico
Join the support group for the medical staff in public service in Cozumel. Doctors, paramedics, nurses, ambulance drivers, administrative 
staff, they all risk their lives for us. This support group was created due to the concerns and deficiencies that some health centers on the island will endure to face the infectious disease covid19. We have joined together non-profit to support, together with your help, the medical personnel of the main public hospitals on the island: IMSS, General Hospital and ISSSTE.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/apoyoadoctorescovid19cozumel/
Cozu-Meals
A group of volunteers is operating a soup kitchen to help feed over 149 families, with a promedy of 4 members so, about 600 people per day. during the shut-down. It doesn’t take much to help. The soup kitchen has a network of volunteers who are delivering meals on their scooters
to families so they can avoid crowds. They are prioritizing families with high at-risk members under quarantine. If you’ve ever enjoyed the generous and friendly people of Cozumel, please consider making a donation to help them in their time of need. Some basic pantry items are being included now as well, such as baby-formula when a meal cooked by the volunteers just can’t meet particular needs.
This is just one kitchen in a network of 6 – each of whom sponsor about the same amount of families. They’re accepting any donations, especially formula and baby needs.
Cozu-Meals is run by Brenda Briceño C. – who’s well known in the community for her public service. You can contact her by phone – 9871195943 – Facebook – Brenda M. Briceño Can. If you’re not here on island and want to donate – there’s a GoFundMe account as well.
Autumn’s Pozole Thursdays
In the neighborhood Fraccionamiento Caribe, we’ve organized Pozole Thursdays at Antojitos del Caribe, a neighborhood food truck run by a very sweet woman from Puebla. Fresh pozole makes everyone feel better! This effort helps feed families and gives work to the chef working the food truck, plus 1 helper.
There are a couple of ways to donate and sponsor a Pozole Thursday. Either via paypal or by delivering cash to Autumn Toñita, the organizer, in fraccionamiento Caribe.
$800 pesos or $40 USD let’s us give away 10 liters which feeds 10 families.
$1200 pesos or $60 USD let’s us give away 15 liters which feeds 15 families.
When you donate via PayPal, please write “Pozole Thursdays” in the note.
Www.paypal.me/autumnlaboheme
______________________________
Una ex yanqui de Connecticut quien llama hogar a Cozumel desde hace más de 15 años. Laura escapó al Caribe hace años, desplazándose de una isla a otra dando clases de BUCEO. Se dedicó a perder el tiempo en Jamaica y finalmente se detuvo en Cozumel para pasar unas vacaciones de 2 semanas que aún no terminan. Convenciendo a sus padres que pagaran una elegante universidad privada, obtuvo su título en Periodismo y Laura crea semanalmente Cozumel 4You, medios sociales y artículos promocionales sobre la Isla y también es moderadora en el grupo Cozumel 4 You en Facebook que actualmente cuenta con 25,000 miembros. Fabián, s umuy tolerante marido, desde hace mucho tiempo se resignó a no tener vida privada, pues se ha visto implicado en los diversos proyectos y planes que urde Laura. Son orgullosos padres de diversos perros y gatos rescatados. Mientras contempla su paso a través de la vida en el Caribe mexicano,Laura continúa siendo la pesadilla en la existencia de su muy tradicional suegra mexicana.
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