Projects in Progress.
Get involved!
If you are interested in more information on any of these projects, please fill-out the volunteer form and make a note about what project(s) are particularly interesting to you or your group.
Shelter Meals program
All five shelters need resources to buy food and supplies. Please consider working with us to offer hospitality to our guests.
The Asylum Shelter, Ojinaga, Mexico
Most of the people housed here are waiting to cross the border legally. There are also those who have been deported and cannot go back to their country of origin. This includes unaccompanied children released from U.S. border holding facilities.
The Needs
1) Better electricity and air conditioning.
2) A play field for the children.
3) The shelter strives to reconnect the children with their parents, and this is proving time-consuming and difficult. Volunteers who might be good at tracking down people would be a big help.
4) Clothes, athletic equipment, medicine, and food.
5) Wheelchairs for those who sustained injury on their long journey.
6) Because the current passenger van is in bad shape, they could use a mechanic and money to fix it up and/or a new mode of transportation.
7) The plumbing needs repair along with the addition of more showers, toilets, washing machines and dryers.
8) Solar panels like the ones that have been placed in small villages across from Boquillas could also be installed on the roof for better flow of electricity. This would help with heating and cooling.
9) The shelter receives between 20 and 30 people weekly. The shelter itself needs to be expanded to be able to provide for everyone who walks through their doors.
Construction on Holy Spirit, Juarez
A site visit to this 96-bed shelter revealed several areas for facility improvement. In the area of HVAC, there is no heating capability and the current air conditioners need repair. Ceiling fans are needed throughout the facility. The shelter should be connected to the City’s natural gas system as a less expensive option than its current reliance on propane fuel. The 1st floor needs plumbing repairs. Plumbing and electrical problems exist on the 3rd floor. The 3rd floor requires the addition of a laundry area along with laundry equipment. The exterior of the building needs to be painted and the drainage system for the courtyard needs to be improved. Access to the courtyard should be secured by a metal gate.
The Indigenous Shelter, Ojinaga, Mexico
This shelter is in the middle of nowhere. It is a small apartment type facility with one shower for everyone and one toilet/bathroom.
The Needs
1) More showers, bathrooms and toilets.
2) The children are left on their own while the parents are working in the fields. The “school” on site needs air conditioning, computers, sports and other classroom supplies.
3) Solar panels would be a game changer for this shelter.
4) A new water tank. A truck load of drinking water is delivered every 5 days and the storage tank is insufficient for holding the water.
5) Some sort of common kitchen with refrigeration, stove and basic cooking equipment. Meals are prepared outside over an open fire as there are no stoves inside the apartments.
6) Poor wiring in one of the apartments recently caused a fire. We need to find a way to assess and update the facility.
7) Washing machines. No laundry facilities are available although there is a series of outdoor washing places for laundry by hand.
8) Bedding and cleaning supplies as well as large rubber storage containers to keep supplies.
A Cargo/Passenger Van
Given the need to distribute supplies and volunteers, we are in real need of a vehicle. Ideally, this would be some sort of vehicle that could serve both purposes. We aren’t looking for brand new, just something safe that can get the job done!
Solar Panels (Small Villages)
RGBM works with Boquillas and Beyond Mexico Mission, Inc. This non-profit is building a solar-powered High School at Jaboncillos. Along with other things BBMM has built 3 solar systems in churches. The Iglesia de Bautista or Baptist Church in Boquillas outgrew their system in a month. BBMM went back and doubled the size of that system.
BBMM has installed one solar system in the school at Jaboncillos, one in the Military Base at Boquillas and one for the water pump at La Union.
In addition, and with BBMM, we have partnered with the people of Jaboncillos, Coahuila, Mexico to improve conditions in the villages of Boquillas, San Vincente, La Union, Jaboncillos and Los Norias. Each of these “ejidos” has fewer than 250 residents.
The Needs
Solar Systems costs vary according to the wattage needed. We spend an average of $3,500 for the solar panels. Two batteries cost $350.00. Bigger systems require more batteries. Sound systems cost $1,500. Computers and accessories cost approximately $2400. Typically, there is an additional $350 in costs for miscellaneous parts and materials. In total, the solar systems costs run between $5700 to $6500. These numbers do not include all the expenses of getting these items purchased and delivered to the ejidos. The annual average expense is $15,000.
This is a terrific opportunity for young people interested in STEM to come and volunteer to help build and install these solar panels.
The Hub
If you are close to El Paso and want to come volunteer at the central hub located at St. Christopher’s Church, 300 Riverside Dr, El Paso, TX 79915, we need you! This is the primary location for receiving, sorting and shipping supplies. While everyday is unpredictable, there is always something to do to help keep our work organized and moving forward. Consider signing up for a shift! Go to Volunteer and select “Hub Staffing".