On Wednesday, April 29, two World Vision–sponsored children came on stage during a gala dinner and thanked attendees for the support they were receiving. In addition, Eduardo Zapiain, Partner and Project Manager, LOGEN, spoke about his company’s support for Mission 500. He told the audience that employees from top management to office cleaning staff had made commitments to individually or jointly support a child. He then went on to present a wooden “Trojan horse” inspired by the art of Wassily Kadinsky to TVC en Linea, a local distributor that has sponsored the majority of children in Mexico over the past year.

Afterward TVC founder Baltazar Zuniga took to the stage, urging attendees to join the fight against poverty in Mexico. Alan Forman, President and CEO of Altronix, responded with a pledge to donate US $10,000 provided that other attendees match that with a commitment to sponsor at least 40 children. One by one, people came to the stage and laid a flower on a “tree of hope” created for the occasion, signaling their commitment to sponsor a child. Another local distributor, Tecnosinergia, announced that it would sponsor 20 children, to meet Alan Forman’s challenge.

World Vision also maintained a dedicated promotional team on-site at the trade show whose members secured 47 additional child sponsorships.

“It is wonderful to see what the industry in Mexico is able to achieve by coming together to address the needs of children – especially when you see leading companies that compete vigorously in the market come together for a cause like this that impacts all concerned,” stated George Fletcher, a Mission 500 volunteer and advisory board member who was present.

During the same event, the show organisers, led by Andrea Ferrando, Show Director, Expo Seguridad and Executive Board member for Mission 500, presented a check to World Vision Mexico for US $10,000, containing part of the proceeds raised from the sales of gala dinner tickets. On presenting World Vision with the check, Ferrando stated, “We are proud to continue partnering with Mission 500 and all of the security industry in Mexico to make an impact in the lives of children here, by providing security and support for basic nutrition, health and education.”

On Friday, May 1, following the close of the 13th Expo Seguridad Mexico, a number of security professionals visited Ecatapec, a World Vision–sponsored community located on the outskirts of Mexico City. Those present handed out toys that were purchased in advance for over 30 children.

This latest success for Mission 500 comes hot on the heels of the successful fundraising at ISC West in Las Vegas, where over US $120,000 was raised.