The Royal Resorts Foundation looks for ways to transform the lives of those in need, provide screening and medical treatment for the seriously ill and funds scholarships for children from disadvantaged households. In addition to its community projects, it also works with conservation groups to protect the Mayan jungle and the creatures that inhabit it.
As of October 2015, the Royal Resorts Foundation had raised $3,189,877 pesos for its community and conservation causes through the Dollar a Stay campaign at the resorts, additional donations by members and employees, fundraising events organized by staff, the sale of recyclable trash and more. Here is a look at the Foundation’s causes and most recent initiatives.
Shining stars, scholarships for children in need
The Royal Resorts Foundation awards scholarships to children attending the Mano Amiga School in the Ciudad de la Alegria community center on the outskirts of Cancun. These students come from poor families, often from single parent households or vulnerable backgrounds overshadowed by domestic violence, addiction, crime or other problems that would make it impossible for the child to continue his/her studies if not for this support.
At Mano Amiga, children study, play and learn to be good citizens in a safe, happy environment, with access to nutritious meals and medical treatment.
In the summer, the Foundation donated US$31,435 to Mano Amiga, enough to provide scholarships for an entire classroom of eager students and give them a future filled with hope and opportunities.
Saving the Mayan Jungle
In partnership with Amigos de Sian Ka’an, the Foundation is helping to fund an initiative to protect the Mayan Jungle, its precious wildlife and underground rivers.
Through this program, 22 landowners in Ejido Juarez and four in El Eden reserve in northern Quintana Roo are receiving environmental services payments in return for committing to preserve the forest on their land instead of clearing it. To date, 400 hectares of forest have been saved using this system. Not only is the forest protected for the rare animals and birds that inhabit it, it represents the capture and storage of 30 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions generated by water production, water treatment plants and pumping in the Benito Juarez municipal district where Cancun is located.
Participating landowners recognize that it is crucial to protect the jungle. They are also collaborating in wildlife studies and reforestation and have paved the way for eight other ejidos interested in joining the program.
El Eden reserve is of vital ecological importance in the area. Straddling a natural fault line, it is a zone of cenotes, underground rivers and lagoons where water is plentiful year-round, attracting wildlife. A mosaic of jungle and marshland microhabitats, it is home to forest and wetland birds, whitetail deer, peccary, spider monkey, ocelot and anteater, among others.
Endangered throughout their range as a result of deforestation, uncontrolled growth, ranching and poaching, jaguars and pumas still inhabit the project area and other parts of the state. Biologists study their movements through the forest –and of the deer, peccary, agouti and ocellated turkey they stalk –using camera traps.
The goal is to expand the program in the north and center of the state, linking larger areas of forest to the Sian Ka’an biosphere reserve and creating natural wildlife corridors for beleaguered species like the jaguar.
Vital Screening and Treatment for Cancer Patients
In 2015, our partner in the fight against cancer Grupo Desafio de Quintana Roo A.C. was able to fund vital treatment for an eleventh patient, now receiving help in the Cancun Oncology Center at Galenia Hospital.
Employee Emergency Relief Fund
The Royal Resorts Foundation gives aid to staff coping with grave illnesses such as cancer, major surgery or accidents in the family and to provide care for the terminally ill. It has assisted employees with serious health problems, including funding surgery for a security guard with a lifelong, and deteriorating, hearing problem, providing a hearing aid and speech therapy for a child who was born deaf, restoring a maid’s sight with a cornea transplant and an intraocular lens implant, an emergency operation for a breast cancer patient, and treatment for a child with epilepsy.
Spreading Happiness campaign
From helping host huge children’s parties for Children’s Day, Christmas and Día de Reyes to monthly get-togethers for the elderly, the Royal Resorts Foundation also has a community campaign called Spreading Happiness to bring smiles to the faces of those in need, the sick and the old.
Get Involved
For more information about the Foundation causes, fundraising events and special Spreading Happiness events organized during the year visit www.royalresortsfoundation.org Online donations are also accepted through the website.
If you would like to volunteer your time or skills or visit one of the institutions it helps during your stay email: contact@royalresortsfoundation.org
The Royal Resorts Foundation also accepts donations of educational material, new toys and used clothing (children and adults) in good condition all year round.
