NEW YORK, NY "“ December 4, 2007 - The Mexican Institute of Family and Population Research (IMIFAP), a Mexican nonprofit, will receive the funding necessary to launch a health and disease prevention campaign in ten communities from the states of Tabasco and Chiapas in response to the severe flooding that damaged the region. The grant provided from The Dow Chemical Company Foundation was announced today by The Resource Foundation, a nonprofit specializing in philanthropic giving to Latin America and the Caribbean. The campaign will directly benefit more than 150,000 children and families affected by flooding and subsequent landslides, thus making a significant contribution towards relief efforts.

"All Dow employees in Mexico have been profoundly touched by the tragic flooding in Tabasco and Chiapas," noted David Blakemore, President and General Manager of Dow in Mexico. "On behalf of our employees, customers, distributors, and suppliers, we are pleased to be able to support IMIFAP in this essential health initiative that will provide much needed relief in this phase of the recovery efforts." Long-term initiatives such as this program increase communities' abilities to recover from and handle potential future emergency situations. As Hector Amaya, General Manager of Dow AgroSciences in Mexico stressed in a recent interview, "Dow has partnered with our distributors and customers in the affected region in order to create a stronger network that facilitates and supports the community work needed. We are building local capacities that are essential for a faster recovery."

IMIFAP is responding to the immediate and long term needs of affected individuals by raising awareness about potential health risks and providing information about proper water management, food preparation, disease prevention methods, and health precautions that parents should take to prevent illnesses among children and infants. As part of the campaign, IMIFAP will train 810 health instructors and teachers in Tabasco and Chiapas, who will then teach children strategies and techniques to prevent the spread of disease so that they can live healthier lives. It will also distribute 50,000 informational health brochures to raise awareness throughout the community.

"Our hearts go out to those whose lives and livelihoods were affected by the floods in Mexico, and our thoughts are with them during this tragedy," stated Loren Finnell, President and CEO of The Resource Foundation. "We are pleased to facilitate this generous grant from Dow which is essential to preventing the spread of disease and addressing communities’ long-term needs."

IMIFAP's methodology promotes sustainability and encourages local ownership so that program beneficiaries will impact the broader community. "Beneficiaries of the program will be able to take their lives into their own hands, and will actively and successfully take care of their own and their families' health," stated Susan Pick, Executive Director of IMIFAP. "We thank Dow for going beyond the immediate effects of the tragedy and taking a leadership role in improving lives in a sustainable way for affected families and communities."

Mexico's recent flooding has been called one of the worst natural disasters in its history. Floodwaters covered over 70% of the state of Tabasco, reportedly impacting over one million people and destroying homes and livelihoods. Residents in the neighboring state of Chiapas experienced similar damages. As the waters begin to recede, tens of thousands of people remain crowded in makeshift shelters, and there are growing fears of infectious diseases including cholera, dengue fever and malaria due to open sewage and disease-carrying mosquitoes.

About IMIFAP

IMIFAP (The Mexican Institute of Family and Population Research), a non-profit organization founded in Mexico City in 1985, is committed to alleviating poverty and improving quality of life by providing health education, life skills training, microenterprise development training and technical support to marginalized Mexican populations. IMIFAP's rigorous process comprises formative research, program development, pilot testing, dissemination, advocacy, evaluation and scaling up. In the past 22 years IMIFAP has developed, in conjunction with the targeted communities, over 40 programs, which have improved the lives of more than 17.5 million people in Mexico, 14 Latin American and Caribbean countries, the U.S., Greece and Uzbekistan. More information about IMIFAP can be found at www.imifap.org.mx.

About The Dow Chemical Company Foundation

Established in 1979, The Dow Chemical Company Foundation serves Dow's philanthropic needs by providing charitable gifts to eligible non-profit organizations in the communities where Dow operates that contribute to community success, support sustainability, foster science in society and stimulate innovation.

About Dow

Dow is a diversified chemical company that harnesses the power of innovation, science and technology to constantly improve what is essential to human progress. The Company offers a broad range of products and services to customers in more than 175 countries, helping them to provide everything from fresh water, food and pharmaceuticals to paints, packaging and personal care products. Built on a commitment to its principles of sustainability, Dow has annual sales of $49 billion and employs 43,000 people worldwide. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.

About The Resource Foundation

The Resource Foundation was established in 1987 to empower the working poor in Latin America and the Caribbean. Through its network of 135 member and associated organizations, The Resource Foundation facilitates partnerships between knowledgeable funders and effective organizations implementing sustainable, locally driven development initiatives, including long-term reconstruction and recovery projects in areas afflicted by natural disasters. It works with donors to optimize the impact of their philanthropy, providing them with specialized, tailored services including project identification, due diligence, funds transfers, proposal and progress report preparation, and training and assistance related to giving strategies. To learn more about The Resource Foundation, please go to www.resourcefnd.org.

The Resource Foundation

The Resource Foundation

The Resource Foundation (TRF) is a U.S. nonprofit organization that helps donors support effective, locally driven development programs in Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada.

Founded in 1987, TRF provides tailored advisory, consulting and grant administration assistance to corporations, individuals and foundations interested in supporting high-impact programs throughout the region. Donors rely on TRF's regional expertise, multilingual staff and knowledge of the region’s nonprofits and programs to safely and securely support projects that make a difference.

Through partnerships, technical assistance and grants to carefully vetted organizations in 28 countries,TRF fulfills its mission to empower the disadvantaged so that they can have the skills, knowledge and opportunities to improve their lives.

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