Advocacy Center - Resiliency & Well-being Program

Our Mission

Systematic economic and social injustice that causes people to migrate and greets them when they arrive. With more people becoming displaced and fewer being able to return, an increasing number find themselves in an new and protracted displacement. Most of the families remain underserved, and through lack of access to quality education and work opportunities, for example, general poverty ensues and brings related family stress and other social issues. Included are a broad range of deficits and difficulties which together make it very hard for many (at least 50% children) in the population to develop the skills and habits needed to escape a cycle of under privilege and to become fully self-sufficient, engaged and contributing residents. A resultant poverty trap/ “deprivation of basic capabilities” is found in much of our client community, and is particularly acute in Immigrant populations, which is our primary focus group. The Covid-19 Pandemic uncovers/exacerbates the reality.

Our mission is to serve the POOR, the STRANGER, and the CAPTIVE (Matthew 25). We accomplish this by providing a platform which helps establish a full abundant, life and restore dignity, capacity, resilience and hope to those we come in contact with.

All poverty arises from a complex set of interrelated causes, often tied to failures in politics and governance along with systematic marginalization of minorities, migrants, and—almost universally across cultures—women. So as each family situation is different, making broad solutions likewise difficult. However we believe we can use current research (including our own), to point to an emerging set of scalable, science-based solutions that can break the trap. Moreover, we use the research to develop organization policy which will implement on the ground practical and measurable solutions. Some solutions will be “emergency” activity to deal with immediate needs, such as food, shelter,clothing, etc. Sustainable solutions will take a more wrap-around approach where our organization will walk alongside our clients in addressing their more long-term sustainability needs.

Our Assistance Programs

We are providing basic “emergency” services such as food, clothing, shelter, transportation, financial assistance, social and medical services from our shelter, the only such permanent facility in Southern New Mexico to help alleviate the immediate needs of our community.

Longer term, we are forming more inclusive sustainable development solutions through our Immigrant Advocacy Center. These solutions are based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. The 17 Goals, all interconnected, and in order to leave no one behind, we feel it is important that we work on the SDGs we directly can influence in our region.

Support Staff

Case workers will provide an inclusive sequenced set of services tailored to culture/context/population giving a one-time boost to break the poverty trap/ “deprivation of basic capabilities” found in our client community. These interventions include…

All facilitated through in-person coaching. Either through direct services, or through our partners, we will provide free/low cost legal services, education, visiting those in detention, and advocacy support as well.

The role of the coach is key, for these programs to build hope.

Regular Check-ins

Each participant is assigned a caseworker or coach tasked with conducting regular individual check-ins, typically at the participant’s home (currently remotely).

Small Groups

The coach meets regularly with small groups of participants who live in the same common neighborhood. In the group setting, participants learn from and receive encouragement from one another.

Support to Help Reach Your Goals

These recurring touchpoints remind the participant that change is possible and support will be available along the way. The entire program is notably time-bound, usually running for about two years, during which a person living in dire poverty can be expected to transform his or her life, “graduating” onto the economic ladder—at least to the bottom rung of it—where he or she will enjoy a degree of control and independence, often for the first time in his or her life. Emphasis is on the participants to lead their own progress, with the knowledge that at the end of the two-year period, they will be on their own. If this progress stalls, the caseworker will be there to help.