Pulse News Mexico photo/Thérèse Margolis

By THÉRÈSE MARGOLIS

The International Women’s Club (IWC) of Mexico City held its last quarterly general meeting of the year at Union Church on Wednesday, Oct. 8, and the theme of the day was “being grateful during this great fall.”

The IWC, a social and service organization composed primarily of foreigners living in Mexico, used the opportunity to zoom in on the work of one of its lifetime members, Ora Anekananda, who more than two decades founded a home and foundation to help some of Mexico’s most marginalized and members of society, the elderly.

A longtime Mexico City resident originally from Thailand, Anekananda has, over the years, worked tirelessly to support these aging and often disabled people by providing meals, clothing and shelter to those who have no one else to support them.

An octogenarian herself, Anekananda has long depended on volunteers from the IWC community to help her in her endless efforts to bring financial and emotional support to more than 80 elderly people.

Founded in 1977 as the Newcomers Club, the IWC today supports four major charities: Fundación Ora’s home for the elderly, Albergue Inés María Gasca home for girls, baby blankets for the Federico Gómez Children’s Hospital and the Hogar Las Nieves home for abandoned children.

The women’s club hosts a variety of social and cultural events throughout the year to raise money for those charities.

On Tuesday, Nov. 15, IWC will be hosting its annual holiday season bazaar with local fashion, food, crafts and other gifts at Union Church, located at Parque Via Reforma 1870, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.