Casa de Peregrinos
999 W. Amador, Suite F
www.casadeperegrinos.org

LAS CRUCES— Casa de Peregrinos, a non-profit emergency food program, assists the homeless, near homeless, unemployed and individuals and families that have found themselves in an unforeseen crisis in the Dona Ana County. Since it was founded in 1983, the organization has given an extra helping hand for Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Help has been a part of Casa de Peregrinos since it first opened its doors. Prior November 2008, the organization had 150 frozen turkeys. This year, until recently, there was only one turkey.

"Last year the community was very supportive and I just hope this year is the same," said Rebecca Renteria, executive director. Wednesday will be Casa de Peregrinos' busiest day of the year; the organization will be open from 8 a.m. until they run out of turkey boxes. Turkey boxes are given out for Thanksgiving; they include a frozen turkey, mashed potatoes, Stove top stuffing, canned cranberry sauce, canned yams, canned milk, pie fillings and pie crust.

"This week, we already had various groups donate," said Crystal Salazar, Assistant Manager.

A recent individual's donation will be enough to purchase 150 turkeys, Salazar said. Casa de Peregrinos has asked companies and other organizations in the Las Cruces community to help with Thanksgiving such as Barnett's Las Cruces Harley-Davidson and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

in 2008, Albertsons grocery store donated readymade turkey boxes, MountainView Regional Medical Center donated turkeys and hams, O-ate High School Honor Society cooked turkey dinners and donated them and individuals and churches donated as well. Community food drives stop by the organization to deliver donations. Renteria said they pull cans of vegetables and anything that can be used for the Thanksgiving Boxes.

On a monthly average, 600 to 900 families are helped by Casa de Peregrinos. During the holidays, the average increases.

"We feed more people during Thanksgiving Help than during the year," said Salazar. "Not everyone gets a turkey."

She explained the number of boxes they serve in three days, they serve in one day on the day before Thanksgiving. In 2008, 189 families were given turkey boxes, but still many clients left without a turkey.

"We help many families," Salazar said. "We are very thankful for the donations we do receive, but more donations are always welcome."

The Las Cruces community can help Casa de Peregrinos with monetary donations, turkey donations or just volunteering their time. Though they do have a staff and RSVP senior volunteers, new volunteers are always welcome.

"Any donation is welcomed," said Salazar. "If you can't donate, you can donate your time."

Year round, the organization provides basic nutritional food boxes that contain a dry package of rice, beans, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder as well as a frozen package of cheese, lard, butter (or margarine) and corn tortillas.

When there is extra food, such as vegetables, bread, milk, eggs and meat they are included in the boxes, however the amount of extras depends on the size of the family.

Casa de Peregrinos has business hours Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and client hours are from 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m.

For more information or how the community can help, please visit the Casa De Peregrinos Web site: http://www.casadeperegrinos.org/home.

by ABC-7 Reporter Veronique Masterson

LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- As the nation's economic turmoil continues, many nationwide are struggling to put food on the table this Thanksgiving. The situation is no different here in the Borderland.

ABC-7 met several people stopping by a Las Cruces food pantry for the first time as families at Casa de Peregrinos waited patiently for their Thanksgiving meals.

"My husband's not working right now, I'm not working. It's hard. I'm not getting food stamps. It's hard," said a mother of four, who chose not to give her name.

She said she was struggling to feed her family. Her story reflects that of many at the food pantry where hundreds of boxes filled with food were given to needy families.

"We have a lot of new ones today. A lot of new clients we've never had before. We're helping anybody that's coming through the door," said Rebeca Renteria, executive director of Casa de Peregrinos.

The center gave out more than 200 holiday turkeys with all the fixings. Despite the tough economic times, volunteers helped any way they could.

Some meals were donated by Onate High School's Honor Society. The meals were already prepared for those without a place to cook.

Fruits, vegetables, canned goods, fresh produce, flour and sugar are just some of the food families were able to take home thanks to the community's donations.

"Everyone needs to pitch in. It's a time when the community needs to come together," an anonymous donor said.

The Las Cruces mother hoped her family's situation was temporary. "God willing in the future, I know it won't always be this way. I hope I can be on the other side. Give the help and not need the help."

To contact Casa de Peregrinos, call (575) 523-5542.

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