The sound of construction enveloped the Mesilla Valley Community of Hope campus as volunteers worked to erect structures that aim to protect Camp Hope residents from the harsh elements that transpire while living in the desert.
Camp Hope is a transitional living community where individuals live in tents, with access to running water and cooking facilities. Resident Patricia Taylor said that she’s working to reestablish herself into a stable housing situation within Las Cruces, but in the meantime, the three-sided shelters help her stay comfortable.
“The tents are nice, but when it rains, you feel very closed in and cold, and the wind blows. These shelters are really, really good. And we got so many volunteers here, I can’t thank them all enough.”
Not only does Camp Hope provide shelter and other necessities, but it’s also situated in a way to get residents access to health and social services that will aid them in progressing toward permanent housing and employment.
Patricia said that when she lost her home, she was in a state of despair. She had no safety net to catch her when she was displaced, and said without Camp Hope, she’d be sleeping on the street.
“I hadn't been working. My father had been in ill health. I took care of him. I took care of my mother. And I became homeless when she died,” she said. “I was seriously considering jumping off an overpass because all I could think of was I’m going to be sleeping out in alleyways. This is going to be terrible. But I found the Community Hope, and they took me in. I got a chance, I got a shelter, we eat right over there at El Caldito. It's a lifesaver.”
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, New Mexico ranks third among all states when it comes to individuals living in poverty. This, combined with the rising cost of living, has made it more difficult for individuals like Patricia to attain stable housing.
Camp Hope has now erected 40 of the three-sided structures. They’re a way for residents to stay off the ground, and also to be protected from the elements in some capacity.
Edward Tindal is the store manager at the Las Cruces Home Depot, which has a partnership with Camp Hope. He said the amount of community volunteers to help with construction was nothing short of inspiring.
“That’s the biggest thing is just giving back to our community and just creating that bond,” he said. “Everybody needs help from time to time. It's heartfelt work out here. A lot of these people take time off work. This is 100% volunteer-based. This is really some intrinsic, authentic people here doing some great things, this community.”
Executive Director of the Mesilla Valley Community of Hope Nicole Martinez echoed Tindal’s sentiment, and explained that Camp Hope doesn’t receive any grant funding from the city. It exists in its current state because of support from local businesses and volunteers.
“Camp Hope is not a funded project, so we do rely on community support all year. And this is just an amazing example of how we've all come together to address people in need in our community,” she said. “It's just amazing to see the resilience of the people who are staying here, letting them know that people believe in them, that they can get back on their feet, they can get into housing. They can be successful. There's a whole community rooting for them.”
As for Patricia Taylor, she said it’s important to keep in mind that people experiencing homelessness are exactly that – people.
“The homeless people are usually just regular people. They got fired from their job, they got injured and couldn't go to work. Some of them have chronic problems, you know, like cancer, where they've lost their job from cancer. And so here they are.”
With the additional buildings, Camp Hope has now surpassed its initial goal of constructing 35 of the three-sided structures, and according to Martinez, will aid in the Community of Hope’s mission to help individuals in their time of need.
