Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Earlier this month, representatives of the city's Sistema para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (Integral Family Development Services Department, or DIF,) and the Oxxo retail chain reopened the 'Casa de Día del Adulto Mayor' (day facilities for the elderly) with an emotional ceremony.

In her address, the president of the charitable institution, Magaly Fregoso Ortiz, said that DIF is committed to providing, in a transparent manner, the application of the donations collected by Oxxo, which were received in December, and totaled $201,223 pesos.

"In the Municipal DIF System, one of our goals is to help the most vulnerable public sectors, and the elderly are a major sector that we're betting on," she said. "Today, we are reporting on the improvements made to the Casa de Día facilities, which, through different activities, serves an average of 100 people each day."

To date they have utilized $160,000 pesos, spending the funds on the purchase of five hot plates, miscellaneous cookware, 24 folding chairs, 150 white chairs, six shelves, tools, fans, window shades, a stereo, sporting goods, plants, paint, and painting accessories.

"Also thanks to 'rounding up,' today you can see the changes that have been made at Casa de Día, including improvements to the kitchen and bathrooms, as well as new wiring and paint," she added.

The remainder of the donated funds, around $40 thousand pesos, will go to the Asilo San Juan Diego, a retirement home that provides general welfare and personal development programs that improve the quality of life of the elderly in Puerto Vallarta.

Fregoso Ortiz closed her speech by expressing gratitude to the OXXO Foundation for conducting the 'Redondeo,' a program in which the convenience store's clerks ask their customers to 'round up,' the total of their purchases. (If their bill is $20.45 pesos, they pay $21.00 pesos and the extra 55 centavos goes to the charity.) She also thanked the people of Vallarta for participating in the program, and contributing to the Casa de Día facility's improvements.

The re-inauguration event was attended by the Welfare Commission Councillor, Doris Ponce Aguilar; the 'Queen of the Seniors,' Therese Felgueres; Casa de Día's Deputy Director, Miguel Angel Soto Barajas; and Director, Karina Vanessa Crisosto; and OXXO Retail Outlet Directors, Jaime González Lopez and Maritza Gutiérrez Pimienta.