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Want more details about what we do? Scroll below to find stories and the latest updates about how our work is helping make an impact. We invite you to learn more about our efforts and help spread the word about our important cause.

 Note: asylum seekers and other migrants encountered at the shelters are referred to by an initial or nickname to protect their privacy.

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For September:

Approximately 590 meals provided

2 ongoing medical issues addressed

9 dogs at CDM fed; 4 dogs spayed

New toilet tank installed

Celebratory meal provided for Mexican Independence Day

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For October:

Approximately 310 meals plus breakfast treats with coffee provided

9 dogs at CDM fed
Dental care provided for one guest

Garden area created with recycled materials 

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For November:

Approximately 300 meals provided plus breakfast treats and coffee

9 CDM dogs fed

Medicines and medical care provided 

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12/2/25

SSF Shelter Report 

Doug Schnare, Susanna Dewey, and I brought the letter ‘O’ (shades of Sesame Street!) to Casa del Migrante in Sonoyta, Sonora, Mexico this morning. The temporary replacement sign we’d brought several months ago had been battered by the weather - the letters had only been glued on, and the sign read ‘Snoyta’ instead of ‘Sonoyta’. We brought a staple gun, but the staples weren’t long enough to penetrate the backing; fortunately Tom had put some glue in the car this morning before we headed out, and that hopefully will hold the letters on until we can bring longer staples or brads. 

We also brought bottled water, Miracle Gro, and hemorrhoid products, which the 5 guests quickly unloaded. After picking up a request for some arthritis cream for M (it was actually hemorrhoid cream with lidocaine he’s been using on his hands!), we took the cook to pay the cable bill, then to lunch and the pharmacy. While we were eating our delicious meal at Stanza Restaurante, the car got cleaned till it glowed. We evidently have a standing Tuesday date with the entrepreneurial young man who does an excellent job with a bucket of water and a rag. If you visit Sonoyta, I highly recommend both Stanza Restaurante and the detail man who works out front. 

While at lunch, we asked the cook what Casa Del Migrante would like to do for Christmas Eve. The cook will get everyone’s clothing measurements this week and send them to us. We will get them posted on our Amazon wishlist for anyone who is able to help make Christmas away from loved ones a special time for these stranded travelers. The cook will ask Paula, a local Sonoyta woman, to prepare a special meal again this year of tamales and pozole. CDM usually invites unhoused people who are unable to stay at CDM to Christmas dinner; this year the cook is planning again for 25 guests. Last year the meal cost $260, a bargain for 25 people, and it was delicious. 

At Bodega Aurrera the cook was able to get everything on his list. As we were loading up the car with all the good food, a sweet mama dog came up and sat down by the car. She didn’t beg, but she had perfected that quiet look of desperation and adorableness. I would have put her in the car right away, but I didn’t know where her pups were. The cook put some dog food out for her, but she either wasn’t used to dog food or she was just very thirsty, so Susanna donated her water bottle and the cook asked the guy who shined my tires (yes, my entire car’s exterior got detailed today) for a container. He set out to look for one, and as we pulled away, the cook told me where the puppies were hidden. I would not be surprised if he doesn’t return to the parking lot later today to make sure mama dog has water and food. 

Every week we meet kind people in Sonoyta. People are scrabbling to make a living, but they network and look out for each other, and they are always gracious with our clumsy Spanish. This holiday season and always, we wish for everyone shelter, a full belly, and the comfort of being surrounded by loved ones. We are finalizing our Christmas plans, and any support is appreciated. A big thank you to all who have recently sent donations - every bit goes directly to purchasing healthy food, keeping the electricity on, and providing for medical needs❤️.

Hug someone today and don’t let the bastards grind you down. Fingers crossed for Tennessee tonight!

    ⁃    Carol

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11/25/25

SSF Shelter Report

Lynne Charles, Susanna Dewey, and I drove down to Sonoyta, Sonora, Mexico this morning. We carried canned food donations from Muffet Rowe here in Ajo and some requests from shelter guests at Casa Del Migrante (sweatpants for M and earbuds for the manager). At the border, the Mexican official asked if we had paperwork for our donations, but when he saw what we had, he waived us on through. Yesterday there was a blockade for several hours in Sonoyta at the border - Mexican truckers and farmers are demanding the government address safety concerns and fairer pricing for produce, but today the roads were clear. 

Sonoyta has a population of over 12,000 people - about 4 times the number of people in Ajo - yet it still has that small town feel. As we drove the bumpy dirt roads through the Colonia Pápago on our way to our first stop at Joaquin’s, Susanna suddenly said, “There’s Monica!” Sure enough, we had run into someone she knew in that little neighborhood. After introducing the rest of us and chatting a bit (Monica helps feed hungry older people in Sonoyta and in Ajo), we continued to Joaquin’s. There we met a gentleman from El Salvador and a woman who is one of Maura’s (Joaquin’s wife) cousins. Joaquin is not well and was taken by ambulance to the local clinic the other night. He is waiting to get some blood work done and hoping for a diagnosis. After Giovanni, Rosa, and Joaquin posed for photos (photos are de rigueur!), we left for Casa Del Migrante.

The guests were waiting for our arrival at Casa. Gallo was excited to see his friend Lynne after such a long absence and greeted her warmly. The flower garden is beautiful - so many cheerful colors against the bland tan color of the soil! Susanna is going to bring some worm castings next time to nurture the plants. The manager was sanding down a metal desk he found for the office. He wants to paint it - when I asked what color, I already knew he was going to say ‘green’. That’s his answer every time I ask his color preference for something! He was happy with his new earbuds (one of the dogs had chewed his last pair), and M was pleased with his new sweatpants. The cook says M is quite the clothes hound and likes to wear a different pair of pants each day. 

We stopped at the pharmacy while we were waiting for lunch and picked up some omega 3 capsules for one of the guests. Meanwhile, our car was having its outside detailed. Each week, the same guy does a thorough job cleaning our car while we eat - even as we’re pulling back out into traffic, he’s giving the last few windows a final buff and then stopping traffic so we can back out. If you want your car shined up while eating a great meal, stop at Stanza Restaurante -  on the left after the big Pemex station. Once again, Sonoyta lives up to its small town vibes, where we see familiar faces each week when we visit. 

The cook was able to get all his grocery shopping done at Bodega Aurrera this week. In the parking lot, we saw W next to two Guardia Nacional vehicles complete with seriously armed guards perched above the cabs. W was hoping for loose change. He won’t eat the food at CDM - instead, he prefers buying his own at Bodega Aurrera. When I asked him how he was feeling today, he said he felt calm and peaceful. Considering his proximity to the armed vehicles, that’s a good thing, right?

Back at CDM, the guests carried the groceries into the office and stowed them away with the help of several of the dogs who’ve appointed themselves the official food inspectors. Hugs, waves, and fist bumps later, Lynne, Susanna, and I headed back to the U.S. We were stopped and inspected on the Mexican side (unusual); as we left the U.S. checkpoint, we were surprised at all the cars in line waiting to enter Mexico - on a Tuesday!?!

Give someone a hug today and 

don’t let the bastards grind you down. Thank you all for your quick and generous response last week❤️

    ⁃    Carol

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Note: as the year draws to a close, SSF funds are not enough to provide groceries and keep the lights on at Casa Del Migrante. If you are able, please consider a year-end donation either via our website donate button, via Zelle [Samaritanos Sin Fronteras (413)695-9571], or as a check made out to Samaritanos Sin Fronteras/121 Rocalla Ave/Ajo, AZ 85321. Thank you for your continued support.

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Checks can be made out to 

Samaritanos Sin Fronteras 

c/o Doug Schnare, treasurer 

121 Rocalla Ave

Ajo, AZ 85321

Or we can accept Zelle (National Bank of Arizona) or PayPal on our website www.samsinfront.com) 

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Samaritanos Sin Fronteras Amazon wishlist:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/6SDJCN1N0XMX?ref_=wl_share

or if you’re in Ajo and have donations, contact one of the members of SSF who will be glad to deliver them. We all make a difference.

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