Binational Fundraiser in San Diego to Benefit Mexicali Children’s Home, Cahova

-Editorial 

For more than 25 years, CAHOVA has provided a home, education, and support to boys in Mexicali facing vulnerable circumstances. On Sept. 24, that mission will cross the border into San Diego, gathering at Bloomingdale’s Fashion Valley for “Desde el Corazón,” a fundraising event aimed at supporting the children’s home and helping provide resources for its programs and future needs.

The “Desde el Corazón” event, organized by Fundación Vildósola Pérez Tejada, will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. and bring together volunteers, businesses, chefs and artists from both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Cristina Hermosillo said the foundation’s volunteers include women from San Diego, Mexicali, Tijuana, Ensenada and other communities who are working together to raise funds and awareness for CAHOVA, or Casa Hogar para Varones.

“This is a binational effort because there are volunteers on both sides,” Hermosillo said. “There are women in San Diego working with volunteers from Mexicali, Tijuana and Ensenada.”

CAHOVA was founded about 25 years ago by Hermosillo’s mother, María Cristina Ramos de Hermosillo, to provide a safe environment and opportunities for boys experiencing vulnerable circumstances in Mexicali.

Hermosillo said the organization provides housing, education, food, and other support while helping children continue their studies, build opportunities for their future, and, when possible, reunite with their families. She estimated that approximately 500 children have participated in CAHOVA’s program since its founding.

“My mother founded this home to help children find better opportunities and a refuge where they could be safe, study and improve their lives,” Hermosillo said.

Fernanda Pérez Tejada de Vildósola, founder and president of Fundación Vildósola Pérez Tejada, said she has spent about 15 years working on fundraising efforts for different causes. Her relationship with Bloomingdale’s eventually led the retailer to make its store available for charitable events.

Two years ago, Pérez Tejada de Vildósola organized a similar fundraiser benefiting Fundación Castro-Limón, a Tijuana nonprofit that provides services to children with cancer. She said the event raised about $245,000 through ticket sales and other fundraising activities.

A Mexicali native, Pérez Tejada de Vildósola said she decided her next fundraising effort would benefit an organization in her hometown. She became more familiar with CAHOVA after visiting its facilities with former high school classmates and later assisting with the organization’s fundraising raffle.

“When I went to CAHOVA and saw it with my own eyes, I knew this was the organization I wanted to work for,” Pérez Tejada de Vildósola said. “I saw how the staff cares for the children; I saw the facilities and learned about their work.”

She said she later contacted Hermosillo and began planning the 2026 fundraiser.

“I saw the work they have been doing for 25 years,” Pérez Tejada de Vildósola said. “The children are happy, and they have had very good results. That is why I decided to work for them.”

Bloomingdale’s Fashion Valley will close the store to the general public during the event, with admission limited to ticket holders. Organizers expect about 350 guests.

Pérez Tejada de Vildósola said the event will feature a Mexican theme in recognition of Mexico’s Independence Day celebrations in September.

Guests will be able to attend a fashion show, live mariachi and folkloric dance performances, product demonstrations, raffles, an auction, and an exhibition featuring donated artwork.

The event will also include appetizers prepared by eight chefs, including chefs associated with Michelin-recognized restaurants, as well as desserts from five additional chefs. Wines from Baja California’s Valle de Guadalupe and California’s Ramona Valley will be served along with other beverages.

Pérez Tejada de Vildósola said much of the food, wine, services and other items involved in the fundraiser have been donated by participating businesses and individuals. The event is being organized primarily by volunteers.

“I may be leading it, but this event is not something I am doing alone,” Pérez Tejada de Vildósola said. “The volunteers, the people who donate, the sponsors and the guests — we are all making the event together.”

Hermosillo said the culinary and cultural components are intended to showcase the Cali-Baja region while introducing attendees to CAHOVA and its work.

“The volunteers have made a great effort to give guests a sample of what we have in Baja California,” Hermosillo said. “But above all, it is for the children. All of this effort ultimately is about supporting the children of CAHOVA and helping provide them with a better future and opportunities they might not otherwise have access to.”

Tickets are $250, or 4,500 Mexican pesos, according to organizers. Each ticket includes admission to the evening’s activities and promotional certificates from event sponsors. Bloomingdale’s will also donate 10% of qualifying purchases made from Thursday through Sunday in connection with the fundraiser, according to organizers.

Pérez Tejada de Vildósola said CAHOVA has identified several potential projects that could benefit from the proceeds, including additional rooms for older children, fencing and renovations to existing bedrooms. The final allocation will depend on the amount raised and the organization’s needs, she said.

Beyond raising money, Pérez Tejada de Vildósola said one of her goals is to encourage greater community participation in charitable causes.

“I want people to get involved and experience what it means to give, whether they can give a little or a lot, for a good cause,” Pérez Tejada de Vildósola said. “When everyone comes together, we can accomplish something meaningful.”

Hermosillo said the collaboration reflects the cross-border character of the region and the participation of volunteers from Baja California and Southern California.

“At the end of the day, it is about helping the children of CAHOVA and helping provide them with a better future,” Hermosillo said.