Tzu Chi's Provides Relief after Devastating Flooding in Mexico

Mexico Source: Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation Please refer to the attached file. After 150 cities and municipalities in Mexico were severely impacted by floods and landslides affecting 320,000 people and damaging 100,000 homes, Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation (BTCF), powered by its local volunteer team, reached out to help 2,963 households in the worst-hit Poza Rica and Alamo regions. BTCF not only provided cash assistance, it also offered toys and house-to-house emotional support. On November 10-14, 2025, BTCF relief team met with Father Jaime, a local priest and the Director of City Housing and Urban Development Bureau in Poza Rica. The meeting identified 3,295 severely affected households. The floodwater had left communities buried in heavy silt that blocked local drainage systems and exposed communities to unsanitary situations. The volunteers also introduced the Tzu Chi team to the locals and explained that they would be going door-to-door, family-to-family to ensure accurate designation of the assistance. Following the initial assessment and reconnaissance activities, BTCF carried out the first phase of verification from December 1–5, 2025, covering 1,500 households. The second phase of verification continued from December 15–19, 2025, for another 1,500 households. On January 6, 2026, the relief team conducted follow-up care visits and distributed toys. In March 2026, BTCF distributed “Pluxee” cash cards as monetary assistance to households. The amount of financial aid varied depending on household size: Households with 1–3 members received a Pluxee card worth 10,000 pesos (approximately USD 560), households with 4–6 members received 15,000 pesos (approximately USD 840), and households with more than 7 members received 20,000 pesos (approximately USD 1,130). The amount that was distributed for each household was especially significant given that the average monthly income in the region is approximately $450 USD. While the financial aid distributed proved effective in