Major Foundations & Over 90 Organizations Coming Together for Philanthropy, Finance, and Families Along the US-Mexico Border

This October 20th and 21st, two leading border organizations - the US-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership (BPP) and the Frontera Asset Building Network (FABN) - will bring together over 90 non-profit organizations and some of North America's leading corporate foundations to advance borderwide solutions in both the US and Mexico on quality of life indicators, philanthropic giving, and reducing poverty along the border.

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) October 18, 2009 -- From Texas through California, and from Baja California to Tamaulipas, over 90 non-profit organizations will come together this week in El Paso, Texas, for first joint annual meetings of the San Diego-based US-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership (BPP), and the Frontera Asset Building Network (FABN). Over 30 speakers will be presenting some of the most updated border community data, organizational strategies, and philanthropic information about communities along and across the fast-growing US-Mexico border region - including representatives from the Ford Foundation, the C.S. Mott Foundation, RAISE Texas, the Aspen Institute, major universities from both sides of the border, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (which even launched its own border civic network in September).

"This is the first time that both BPP and FABN have joined together like this to bring together such a broad network of non-profit professionals, academics, and government agencies to focus on these important topics of philanthropy, poverty, and what can be done about it," stated Andy Carey, Executive Director of the San Diego-based US-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership. "This year's event in El Paso will really give members of our two organizations a chance to learn how to strengthen crossborder collaborations amongst peers from both small and large communities that are too often neglected, yet have so much potential and so much impact on both countries."

This important two-day event, to be held at the historic Camino Real Hotel, next Tuesday, October 20th through Wednesday, October 21st, is focused on the theme, "The Border - A Region of Promise" - featuring not only informational sessions led by experts from Procura Mexico, the Fundraising School, and The Aspen Institute, but also groundbreaking new efforts by universities along the border to measure community opinions and their quality of life. The event also includes a provocative temporary photographic exhibit, "Imágenes de la Vida Fronteriza", featuring inspiring and motivational glimpses into the lives of everyday people living and working in U.S.-Mexico border communities.

"Since 2002, the U.S.-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership and its members - from private and corporate foundations, non-profit organizations, individuals, and even governmental agencies - have been working to strengthen leadership and philanthropic activities in the U.S.-Mexico binational region," commented Carey. "This event is about seeing beyond the headlines, and sharing the vision many of us have: that the border is filled with potential and promise."

For more information about the two-day conference, "The Border - A Region of Promise", or the US-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership and its efforts to improve the quality of life for the border region by inspiring and harnessing cross-border collaboration, leadership and more effective philanthropic resources, please contact Michelle Jaramillo, Director of Communications for the BPP at 619-814-1387, or visit their website at www.borderpartnership.org.

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