EPA Raises More Than US$ 240,000 Through “Helping Is Simple” Campaign

EPA raised US$ 240,893 through its “Helping Is Simple” campaign, thanks to contributions from customers in Costa Rica, Guatemala and Venezuela between July 1 and August 31. The funds were directed to organizations with experience in humanitarian assistance and the capacity to implement initiatives directly in affected communities.

Donations support humanitarian response efforts

Contributions were collected through the different channels enabled throughout the campaign and were used to address specific needs arising from the emergency, including food, water, health and child protection.

“The result of this campaign reflects the solidarity of our customers in response to an emergency that affected thousands of people. The funds raised made it possible to support concrete needs in areas such as food, water, health and child protection,” said Pedro Pablo Marroquín Gálvez, spokesperson for EPA Guatemala’s Community Initiative.

The resources supported initiatives led by several organizations:

• UNICEF: water, sanitation and hygiene, child protection and education.
• Cáritas Valencia, Sun.Risas and Fundación Casa Ronald McDonald: food for affected people and rescue teams.
• CADENA International: access to drinking water, kitchen kits, temporary shelters and basic supplies.
• Venezuela te Ayuda: fumigation and insect control.
• Dividendo Voluntario para la Comunidad: structural repairs to a children's dining facility.
• Hospital Ortopédico Infantil: modernization of its orthopedics workshop and physical rehabilitation service.

Additional actions during the emergency

Beyond the funds raised through customer contributions, EPA implemented additional measures to support the emergency response.

In Venezuela, the company established collection centers across its 16 stores, provided logistical support to the Los Topos de México group, donated products from its assortment and offered discounts on purchases intended for donations. EPA also made a cash donation to the Hospital Ortopédico Infantil.

Employees also contributed to the response through 856 hours of volunteer work in Venezuela, supporting the actions carried out during the emergency.

Support extended across three countries

The campaign's response also included initiatives in Guatemala and Costa Rica.

In Guatemala, a collection center was established to channel donations from customers and the community. In Costa Rica, specialized equipment was donated to the Costa Rican Red Cross to support search and rescue operations in affected areas.

Through these actions, contributions from customers, employees and the company were directed toward different aspects of the emergency response across the three countries.

Accountability for the funds raised

All contributions made through the initiative, without exception, are part of the audit and accountability process established for the campaign.

The fundraising effort brought together customer contributions and additional actions in Costa Rica, Guatemala and Venezuela, directing resources and support toward organizations working in areas such as humanitarian assistance, water and sanitation, food, health, child protection, shelter and emergency response.