Guide
Hurricane season on the border: what a colonia household should do first
Storm season runs June through November. A short, honest preparedness checklist for households with limited cash, limited transportation and homes that flood.
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What's happening in the Valley right now
Field updates, program news and honest explanations of how the work — and your giving — is going.
Program news
Back-to-school season: backpacks, shoes and a lot of new notebooks
The first week of school is the most expensive week of the year for colonia families. Here is exactly how our supply distributions work, what a child actually needs, and how to help.
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Field update
Why the food has to come to the neighborhood
Many colonias sit outside city limits, off any bus route and miles from a grocery store. Here is how our church-hosted distributions work, who they serve, and what we learned in 2020.
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Guide
Getting through a Valley summer: heat, power bills and what actually helps
Practical heat guidance for families in homes without central air — and what we watch for during the months when a 110-degree heat index is normal.
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Field update
The blood pressure reading that sends someone to a doctor
Free community health screens catch what an uninsured resident has not had checked in years — and the referral, not the screening table, is the part that changes anything.
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Planning a 2026 or 2027 mission trip to the Rio Grande Valley
A practical planning guide: what a week actually looks like, what your team will build, what it costs, what to pack for South Texas heat, and how far ahead to book.
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How your giving is handled — and where it goes
A plain explanation of our 501(c)(3) status, how donations are processed and receipted, what the money buys, and how to verify us independently.
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What a colonia is, and why the address on the map matters
Most supporters have never heard the word. Understanding what a colonia is explains nearly every decision we make about where the food, the repairs and the health screens go.
Read more →Organization
How a Valley church becomes a community center — and what we ask of partners
Five congregations have opened their buildings mid-week as community centers. Here is what that partnership involves, what it costs a church, and how to start one.
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Every update on this page describes work paid for by supporters — food, medicine, school supplies and staff time across the Valley.