Year after year, the city budgets to assist various charitable and civic organizations in Mexico.

New business at the Nov. 24 Mexico City Council meeting was dominated by a number of these resolutions, resulting in the disbursement of $30,100 among four organizations, starting with the Help Center Inc.

“When the chips are down, the community does step up and help those that need it,” Executive Director Kim Archer said, addressing the council.

The council approved $7,500 to offset operational costs for the Help Center, which has been seeing a steady increase in families in need utilizing its services.

“Currently, we are having trouble helping people with electric bills, which is out of my control at the moment, but with the grant money that I’ve been receiving, we have been purchasing food and we’re focusing on more complete meals,” Archer said.

During the government shutdown, the Help Center prepared for the worst due to frozen Supplemental Assistance and Nutrition Program benefits, but Archer reported that the community support was overwhelming.

Within two and a half weeks, Archer received over 3,000 pounds of food donated by local businesses and organizations. That, Archer said, along with the city’s annual contributions, goes to show what Mexico can do for its neighbors.

Next on the agenda was the Mexico Activity and Nutrition Center, which has been receiving $14,000 annually from the city to support operational costs related to providing programs, activities and nutritional luncheon services.

A letter from the Mexico Activity and Nutrition Center to Roger Haynes, former deputy city manager, on July 22, asked the council to consider increasing the funding to $20,000 to cover part of the utility costs in the next fiscal year. However, only the agreed-upon $14,000 was approved.

The Mexico City Council also contributes annually to the Audrain County Historical Society.

“The historical society does a nice job of preserving the history of our community, and we’ve been supporting them since 2000,” Financial Director Vicki Duenke said.

Until 2024, the city contributed $4,900 to the organization. Last year, the amount was increased to $7,400, and the Audrain County Historical Society requested an additional increase this year to $10,000, but the council approved the agreed-upon $7,400.

Rounding out the contributions to community organizations that evening was a request made by the Central Missouri Veterans Monument Foundation to the Mexico Tourism Commission. It requested $1,600 to cover advertising for the second annual chili cook-off.

The Mexico Tourism Commission reviewed the application and recommended the city distribute $1,200, which was approved.

“All of these programs provide services to the citizens and if we can help a little bit by offsetting some of those costs, it's a benefit to the whole community,” City Manager Bruce Slagle said.