'Apoyando a Quienes Apoyan' Begins Its Seventh Annual Award Benefiting Guatemala

GUATEMALA CITY, April 29 /PRNewswire/ -- The Juan Bautista Gutierrez Foundation (Fundacion Juan Bautista Gutierrez), a charitable foundation formed by the shareholders of Corporacion Multi Inversiones to promote various education, health and social projects in Guatemala, today announced the launch of its 7th annual "Apoyando a Quienes Apoyan" ("Supporting Those Who Support").

The contest publicly recognizes and honors the efforts of organizations dedicated to improving health and education in Guatemala. The Foundation anticipates donating more than $250,000 to the winners this year. With the prize money, the organizations can continue with their social projects to benefit the Guatemalans who need it the most. Proposals will be accepted through May 16, with the winners to be announced during a gala event on August 21.

"Apoyando a Quienes Apoyan has had such a positive impact on so many different organizations at one time that it has become a favorite event of the Foundation's sponsors," said Isabel Gutierrez de Bosch, president of Juan Bautista Gutierrez Foundation.

Isabel Gutierrez de Bosch who is the daughter of the Foundation namesake, Juan Bautista Gutierrez, has been dedicated to social work for more than 50 years. She has followed her father's footsteps and is fully committed to improving living conditions for Guatemalans. She believes that bringing much needed publicity to smaller, lesser known not-for-profit organizations allows these organizations to reach beyond their normal base of supporters and continue their quest for the advancement of Guatemalan people.

"Since the inaugural competition six years ago, the Foundation has donated 8.7 million quetzals, (US$1 million) to 46 different organizations benefiting more than 380,000 Guatemalans," added Isabel Gutierrez de Bosch. "Now in its seventh year, Apoyando a Quienes Apoyan can continue its tremendous impact in Guatemala."

For more information or to obtain contest entry forms and qualifications, please contact [email protected].

About the Juan Bautista Gutierrez Foundation

The Juan Bautista Gutierrez Foundation was formed in 1986 by the grandchildren of Juan Bautista Gutierrez -- the Gutierrez Mayorga and Bosch Gutierrez families -- through Corporacion Multi Inversiones, to promote various education, health and social projects in Guatemala. Two of these grandchildren, Juan Luis Bosch and Dionisio Gutierrez, are well known businessmen, widely recognized through their activities as co-presidents of Multi Inversiones.

The Foundation is the namesake of the founder of the companies that today makeup Corporacion Multi Inversiones, Juan Bautista Gutierrez, who set an example of hard work and dedication for the betterment of his community, his country and its people, much to the admiration of his family, friends, associates and the community at large. Today, the Juan Bautista Gutierrez Foundation supports a number of projects apart from "Apoyando a Quienes Apoyan" including providing 10 full university scholarships every year to underprivileged youth, sponsoring educational reading and writing workshops for 30,000 primary school teachers, serving as an administrative entity during national emergencies, financing the entrepreneurial center of the Chamber of Industry, and supporting the UNICAR and Roosevelt Hospital, among others.

SOURCE The Juan Bautista Gutierrez Foundation