Red-shirted workers hurry in their efforts to distribute essential food and supplies to Palomas people in need.
Last weekend, Border Partners sponsored another distribution event that made essential supplies available to people in need in Colonia Victoria, a rural town south of Palomas. The distribution started at 6 pm on Saturday, August 15. When the volunteers and workers arrived to set up, there were people already waiting in line. The fact that that line went around the block indicates the need of the people and their desire for assistance.
To keep the public safe during the pandemic, guidelines were in place. Only one member from each family could enter the building to pick up their food basket. Social distancing was enforced.
Relief workers dispensed hand sanitizer at the door. Participants also received face masks they could wear (and keep) and small hand sanitizer containers that they could take home with them.
Food distribution
Then recipients moved to the next station to pick up a parcel of groceries. Centro de Salud of Palomas provided us with health supplements for distribution. This included folic acid, a nutritional supplement that provides iron–useful to all but especially to pregnant women. Toothbrushes they provided will replace old, ineffective brushes.
Refreshments
When recipients received all their supplies, there were drinks and nachos for all the people in attendance to enjoy. Thanks to an amazing team effort, no one left empty handed.
These essential food parcels and supplies reached 333 people that evening.
Distribution Donors
School supplies
This distribution was possible because we received donations from The Seventh-Day Hispanic Church in Deming, NM, Diaz Farms in Deming, NM, Palomas’ Centro de Salud, and Sherry Edwards. Barbara Gabioud (Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Silver City, NM) also contributed donations and gave us school supplies as well. School supplies were distributed Sunday morning.
We want to thank each of these donors and volunteers from Colonia Víctoria who helped us organize the event. They helped us secure the community building for our use at no cost. In addition, they cleaned it after we left. We’re incredibly grateful for their kindness.
View more photos from this event on our Flickr account.
Incredible team of volunteers and workers made the evening a success.