For Christmas, Sponsor a Child or Senior in Border City of Palomas (or Help with a Winter Coat Drive)

Esperanza Hope Lozoya has  been a constant and supportive presence for the people of the border city of Palomas in Chihuahua, just across the border from Columbus, New Mexico. Through her tireless efforts,  and with the assistance many other people, she has set up a feeding program, and provided shoes, school supplies, and Easter baskets  for this community.

Esperanza now has another opportunity for you to help. Here is her appeal:

Dear friends: 
I hope you have been blessed with a wonderful year, as you know Christmas is just around the corner and our search is on for sponsors, for the much needy families of Palomas and rural Chihuahua. Due to loss of revenue, families suffer more now than in past years.

Senior meal at Outreach Building in Palomas

Please search your heart and consider sponsoring a child or senior for the holidays. Please make the holidays an unforgettable one for those in need! If you are interested please choose an information card from one of our trees, at the following locations; In Deming NM. Peppers Supermarket, Deming Headlight, Diaz Farms, Deming Arts. In Columbus NM. San Jose Grocery, or e-mail me and, I will send you information on the child or senior needing to be sponsored.

 "The Tree Of Hope" "El Arbol de la Esperanza" will include the name, age, sex, clothing and shoe size, and what toy the child is wanting, or the special need of the senior. All families have been interviewed to determine each individual families needs. We strongly encourage that you personally meet the child or senior beeing sponsored but, if you are unable to you may send a Wal-mart of K-mart gift card to our mailing address, or call for pick-up. You will receive within two weeks of Christmas a Thank You letter and a photo of the child or senior receiving the gifts. 

If you have any questions please feel free to call (575)936-0417 or e-mail me (esperanza_lozoya@yahoo.com). Or you can send donations to our mailing address: 
La Luz De La Esperanza Outreach 
P.O. Box 38 
Columbus, NM 88029

Thank you.
Esperanza
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Winter Coat Drives for Palomas

Among those who are helping in Palomas are the College of Education at Western New Mexico University School of Education and the Department of Languages and Linguistics at New Mexico State University. WNMU has organized a Winter Coats and Cookies Drive in Silver City again this year. Read about the WNMU efforts last year. The Bilingual Club (BESO) is also participating in this effort at WNMU through Dec. 7. For more information contact Prof. Alexandra Neves nevesa@wnmu.edu or 575-597-0016

New Mexico State University has joined in with a similar drive in Las Cruces through Dec. 14. Professor Spencer Herrera, in the Department of Languages and Linguistics at NMSU, will coordinate a collection in Las Cruces. He can be reached at spencer@nmsu.edu.

Both drives are being conducted in conjuction with the non-profit organization Dos Manos.  For more information contact executive director Victoria Tester,victoriatester@dosmanosnonprofit.org