People Who Help

Pastor Danny Pacheco started a school in Honduras to teach children values so they don’t go into gangs. He facilitates art classes and soccer leagues that provide a healthy and constructive activity to occupy youth after school. It’s more than soccer—he brings children, gangs, and police from rival neighborhoods together to get to know each other and reduce the hate. Pastor Danny is constantly risking his life to do this work.
Photo Credit: Katie Orlinsky for The New York Times
Arnold Linares, a Baptist preacher, at an evangelical Sunday service in a church that is under construction. He runs a neighborhood outreach center. Photo Credit: Katie Orlinsky for The New York Times
Olga Sanchez Martinez (center, wearing white) visited a class at California State University, Northridge in November 2015. Olga runs a shelter that helps migrants hurt by the "Death Train" in Chiapas, Mexico. More information about her shelter Albergue Jesus el Buen Pastor is available by visiting http://www.alberguebuenpastor.org.mx/
Olga Sanchez Martinez (center, wearing white) visited a class at California State University, Northridge in November 2015. Olga runs a shelter that helps migrants hurt by the “Death Train” in Chiapas, Mexico. More information about her shelter Albergue Jesus el Buen Pastor is available by visiting http://www.alberguebuenpastor.org.mx/
In Towson University, Sonia spoke for Students Helping Honduras, April 2019. You can start a chapter, raise funds, then travel to Honduras to build a school. SHH students have built 50 schools!
Sonia with Enrique’s legal team: Sui Chung and Michael Vastine, who did an amazing job at winning legalization for Enrique, Maria Isabel and their daughter Jasmin, and did it all pro bono, March 2016.
Sonia with officials from The Puente Project as well as those with the California State University chancellor’s office, February 2016. The Puente Project is an amazingly effective program that helps get California Latinos through high school and college.
Sonia with the Kids In Need of Defense team, August 2018. Sonia has been on the board of KIND since its inception a decade ago.
At the María Auxiliadora Church near Orizaba, Mexico, priest Salamón Lemus Lemus allows hundreds of migrants to sleep and eat inside the church. Over his lifetime, the priest saved $37,500 for his retirement. When he was 63 years old, he quietly donated the entire amount to buy land to build a migrant shelter.
At the María Auxiliadora Church near Orizaba, Mexico, priest Salamón Lemus Lemus allows hundreds of migrants to sleep and eat inside the church. Over his lifetime, the priest saved $37,500 for his retirement. When he was 63 years old, he quietly donated the entire amount to buy land to build a migrant shelter.
Francisca Aguirre Juárez barely has enough to feed her own children. But four times a day, whenever the train rolls by near her home, she runs out to the tracks. She throws migrants, who often haven't eaten in days whatever she has: water, apples, or sandwiches stuffed with beans.
Francisca Aguirre Juárez barely has enough to feed her own children. But four times a day, whenever the train rolls by near her home, she runs out to the tracks. She throws migrants, who often haven’t eaten in days whatever she has: water, apples, or sandwiches stuffed with beans.
Francisca Aguirre Juárez allows tired migrants to sleep in her one-room home. In two years, 80 migrants have slept in her home, which is so cramped that three beds are shoved together.
Francisca Aguirre Juárez allows tired migrants to sleep in her one-room home. In two years, 80 migrants have slept in her home, which is so cramped that three beds are shoved together.
In the Mexican state of Veracruz, María del Carmen Ortega García and her husband allowed a 20 year old Honduran to stay in their home for 9 months for free while he worked and saved to continue his journey. Their own 18 year old son disappeared when he attempted to enter the U.S. illegally in 1995.
In the Mexican state of Veracruz, María del Carmen Ortega García and her husband allowed a 20 year old Honduran to stay in their home for 9 months for free while he worked and saved to continue his journey. Their own 18 year old son disappeared when he attempted to enter the U.S. illegally in 1995.
At the Parroquia San José in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, Father Leonardo López Guajardo uses a rickety blue bike to pick up donated food and clothing for migrants. The humble priest uses the bike instead of a car and says: "Either we are with the poor, or we are not. God teaches us to most help the poor." To him, the people most in need in his city are migrants.
At the Parroquia San José in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, Father Leonardo López Guajardo uses a rickety blue bike to pick up donated food and clothing for migrants. The humble priest uses the bike instead of a car and says: “Either we are with the poor, or we are not. God teaches us to most help the poor.” To him, the people most in need in his city are migrants.
On the Day of the Dead in 2003, Father Leonardo López Guajardo says mass at the Nuevo Laredo cemetery. He also led a prayer for migrants buried in a common grave.
On the Day of the Dead in 2003, Father Leonardo López Guajardo says mass at the Nuevo Laredo cemetery. He also led a prayer for migrants buried in a common grave.