Eagles Wings Foundation

Banderas Bay EWF

Eagles Wings Foundation is a non-profit organization conceived by Jim McCarthy, a long-time Board of Director member of Universal Vacation Club. It was approved by IRS in l999, and donations may be included as part of your income tax deductions.

The mission of EWF is to provide assistance to charitable groups in the Puerto Vallarta area, the nearby state of Nayarit, and Cabo San Lucas. In some life-threatening situations, we try to aid individuals as well. We call our efforts “Taking Care of our Home Away From Home.” Since its inception, EWF has made over $1,000,000 (US) in grants, currently maintaining an overhead expense rate at less than 2%!

Many people who visit Mexico and stay at the beautiful resorts do not realize that ten minutes away people are living in poverty. These people do whatever they can to eke out a meager existence, even scavenging for items they can sell and sometimes even for food.

We try very hard to help children through our scholarship program. In Mexico, children who finish their primary school (elementary and junior high levels) no longer receive any state support, making the drop-out rate very high. In some schools, the teacher has to sign out a blackboard eraser and return it at the end of the school day, and the students even have to pay for the paper on which to take tests. In many schools, textbooks are non-existent and libraries are only in their dreams. In one school, for example, we learned that many of the students worked in the fields in the morning and went to school from 2:00 to 8:00 p.m. Some of the students were walking up to two hours each way. EWF bought them a school bus, and now they have four times as many students attending school coming from a wider area.

EWF makes a yearly donation to an organization in the nearby community of Bucerias where a combination orphanage and day-care center has recently been constructed.

Another program now being run by EWF is a Thrift Store where people can buy needed articles at a very low price which they could not afford to buy at regular store prices. These articles range from irons and toasters to microwaves, televisions and mattresses. These articles are donated by the Villa Group hotels from items being replaced at the hotels. They are in good condition but no longer suitable for the hotel operations. The store, called "Eagles Nest," is run by volunteers, and periodic donations are made to EWF.

Any organization approved by the EWF BOD is carefully screened before a grant is given and must submit receipts for any and all expenses. Our donors have been very generous, but we never have enough money to help all of the worthy organizations needing our help.

After learning about some of the work being done by EWF, it is our hope and prayers that you will see how important this organization has become in helping thousands of people in need to have a start toward a better life. If you wish, you may earmark your donation for a special cause. Any donation that you make will be gratefully received, and be assured that it will be used to provide assistance to those who need it the most. You will receive a “thank you” letter from our treasurer.