Completing our three-month series on how communities across the state have met their emergency needs with Vecino, Neighbor Helping Neighbor grants, this issue we are featuring Spirit of Hildago and Catholic Charities of Southern New Mexcio. Your support has provided funding for emergency needs to New Mexico’s hardest hit areas. Since spring of 2020, we have raised $638,624 and made approximately 130 emergency grants totaling $516,912 from our Vecino, Neighbor Helping Neighbor Fund. As 2021 continues, we know that our communities will have long-term economic needs. Can you help us prepare by donating now?
SPIRIT OF HILDALGO is a 501(c)(3) all-volunteer nonprofit founded in May of 2010 with the mission to support, promote, and inspire women and children in Hidalgo County to make a positive difference in their own lives, for their families, and within their communities.
SPIRIT has hosted programs such as AmeriCorps, Youth Conservation Corps, Natural Helpers, Toys for Tots, Koats for Kids, Health Council, Women’s Cooperative, Farmers Market and Mercado, and the Hidalgo County Food Coalition.
For ten years prior to the pandemic, SPIRIT and partners have provided emergency and supplemental food every month for children, families, and seniors throughout the county.
Due to COVID-19, emergency needs increased for additional community members. The Vecino grant provided teachers, restaurant workers, and parents with kids out of school with diapers, pharmacy co-pays, baby formula, PPE, school supplies, internet access, and more.
For more information, contact: Beth Cox President & CEO 575-313-0765 Christine Ortiz Founder & Development Director 520-507-0455 spiritofhidalgo@gmail.com
CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO was founded in 2004 by the Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces to be a provider of social, legal, and economic assistance to people in need in southern New Mexico. The mission of Catholic Charities is to serve others and create opportunity and hope by offering assistance to people in need, advocating for human dignity and social justice, and calling all people of good will to do the same. The Vecino grant funds provided food and medical assistance, paid rent and utility bills, and purchased and distributed personal protective equipment to 50 migrant/farm workers’ families in Hatch. The migrant community was in dire need of personal protective equipment. As essential workers they were needed in the fields but did not have access to protective gear during the pandemic surge in southern New Mexico.
For more information, contact: Kenneth J. Ferrone Executive Director 575-527-0500 x116 kf@catholiccharitiesdlc.org