Press Release

The Christmas season is notorious for being a time of giving, mostly through financial donations. This year, individuals have opted to give in a different way; with their time and energy wrapping presents.

The Foundation for the Children of the Californias is producing their first-time, gift-wrapping fundraiser at the San Diego Outlets at the Border in San Ysidro from  December 16 to December 22, 2016. Volunteers will staff store #454 daily, from noon to 8 p.m., and wrap presents for holiday shoppers.

“It’s nothing short of heartwarming to see volunteers from both sides of our border come together in the interest of making sure children don’t go without medical care,” said Dionicia Lozoya, Executive Director for the Foundation for the Children of the Californias. “These selfless folks contribute their time and energy in making sure our Foundation can continue to support the Hospital Infantil de las Californias, and the  PAPI Program (Programa de Apoyo a Pacientes Indigentes, or Support Program for Indigent Patients in Spanish), which provides and has provided necessary medical and nutrition care to children of the San Diego/Tijuana border mega-region for over 22 years.”

“This year, the volunteers have generously provided manpower for over 1,000 staffing hours, a savings to the organization of over $10,000. That savings directly translates into over 650 paid medical visits for the children, regardless of their family’s inability to pay,” Lozoya added.

The Foundation for the Children of the Californias was formed in response to the urgent need to fund a pediatric medical center in Northwestern Mexico. Until 1994, Baja California was the only Mexican state bordering the U.S. without a medical specialty care center for children. Concerned pediatric professionals joined forces with civic, business, and academic leaders from Mexico, Canada and the United States in an effort to fill this void and create the Hospital Infantil de las Californias. Today, Hospital Infantil treats almost 4,000 patients every month from both sides of the border, with over 25 medical specialties.