About Us
We began in 2022 as an informal group who saw the needs of people staying in migrant shelters in Sonoyta, Sonora, Mexico and wanted to help. Our focus is strictly humanitarian assistance based solely on the requests of the shelter managers and guests. We have 501(c)3 status and donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. We depend on gifts and in-kind donations to continue our work.
Our Mission
Samaritanos Sin Fronteras volunteers are people of conscience working openly with migrant shelters in Sonoyta, Mexico. We provide humanitarian aid while respecting the dignity and autonomy of the shelters. This aid includes monetary donations and in-kind donations based on requested needs.
Our Programs
Making a Difference
Maintenance and Building Projects
We support the residents and guests at Casa Del Migrante in their ongoing efforts to improve their living conditions at the shelter. Past projects have included completing the dormitories, sealing the roof, and providing air conditioning and heating. In the near future we hope to help the men build more secure office and storage space.
Medical
Samaritanos Sin Fronteras volunteers, with the help of generous donations, have been able to provide access to medical care for shelter residents. During the last year, several residents were able to have hernia, prostate, and cataract surgeries, greatly improving their quality of life and ability to work. Several surgeries are needed in the near future. We also refill prescriptions as needed.
Nutrition
Samaritanos Sin Fronteras takes the cook at Casa del Migrante grocery shopping weekly for the fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, rice, beans, tortillas, and coffee that he uses to prepare two meals a day for the guests at the shelter.
Critter Care
At all the shelters we’ve visited in Sonoyta, pets of all kinds - dogs, cats, tortoises, even a baby pig (!) - have helped bring comfort to people uprooted from their homes. Samaritanos Sin Fronteras volunteers help supply food and medical care for the four-legged shelter residents. One of the dogs (La Pantera, pictured above) developed bone cancer in her back paw. The migrants recently had to make the very hard decision to have her put to sleep, because the pain pills no longer controlled her suffering. Thankfully Jenny Radigan, the new director of Barb’s Dog Rescue in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, Mexico, was able to transport La Pantera to Clinica La Esperanza in Puerto Peñasco where her suffering came to an end as Jenny held and comforted her. Angels walk among us.
Media Center
All the Latest
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.
Shelter Reports
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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2/19/26
SSF Shelter Maintenance Report
Rick Weibel and Tom Wingo brought supplies and tools to Casa Del Migrante this morning for a work day. They replaced shower valves and a urinal valve, hung 2 smoke detectors (one in dorm #3 and one in the outer office area), wired a new light and switch over the cooking area, and set up a work station so the guests could build/replace the window screens in the dorms.
More wiring remains to be done and more screen spline needs to be added, but today was a pretty good day.
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2/18/26
Fiesta de cumpleaños today! 🎂 🎈 🎉 Both the manager and the cook had birthdays this weekend, so Jan St Peters, Angel Chevrestt, and I hosted a cake and ice cream party at Casa del Migrante.
I baked the cake (chocolate, per the cook’s request) yesterday, but even though I’ve made this recipe before, the icing came out behaving like a slightly warm tootsie roll this time, so I hid the horror with a can of store-bought icing. We loaded up the cake, party tooters, balloons, a beautiful dresser Jan and Rick wanted to give the cook for storing his belongings, a sleeping bag and blanket for the guy who lives on a busy road corner, a 50 lb bag of dog food, coffee, fly strips, shampoo, deodorant, shoes, Valentine chocolates, and magnetic screen doors - whew! and hoped for the best when we crossed the border.
The Mexican officials at the border crossing were very friendly, and after a brief look at our donations, they waved us through - no tariff for the dresser! We stopped quickly at Bodega Aurrera grocery store first so I could run in and buy soda, ice cream, and another cake (for just in case - I didn’t trust the palatability of mine). While I was in the store, Jan gave the shoes we brought to the guy who washes cars in the parking lot. She also gave him some dog food for his dogs at home and for the strays and puppies in the parking lot.
There were several new guests at Casa del Migrante today, bringing the total to 8. The new folks were from Honduras by way of various places in the U.S. One man was just deported from Pennsylvania when he went to court to pay a traffic ticket. One of the other guests, a man who lived in Boston, said his mother-in-law didn’t like him; when he went to visit his 4 daughters, he suspected she called ICE. The newcomers were in good spirits, and Jan wrote down shoe and clothing sizes for next week. The manager showed Angel the birth certificate Dora Rodriguez was able to obtain for him from El Salvador. Now he has to decide: get married and be eligible for Mexican residency, or work on getting the travel documents without getting hitched. We don’t know if wedding bells are in his future! This travel preparation has been a long drawn-out process.
M gave us a prescription to fill at the pharmacy, the cook grabbed his reusable shopping bags and grocery list, and we took off. The cook wanted his birthday lunch at Yesi’s. Angel hadn’t eaten there before, so we got to show him the huge Christmas tree that Yesi’s keeps up all year. Right now it is beautifully decorated for Valentine’s Day. Jan told the waitress that it was the cook’s birthday, so after our meal, she brought out a slice of birthday cake and lit a candle. After we sang and he blew out his candle, everyone in the restaurant applauded❤️
After lunch, we picked up M’s prescription and then waddled our way around Bodega Aurrera, quickly filling 2 shopping carts with good food. Back at Casa del Migrante, the guests unloaded the groceries and we got set up for the party. A tried to help me light the birthday candles, but it was too windy and they wouldn’t stay lit. The guests lined up - everyone wanted a slice of each of the cakes, plus a dollop of ice cream and a soda. Chihuahua wanted cake too, and he kept trying to nab one of the cakes for himself! When everyone was too stuffed to move, it was time to head back across the border. Angel almost ended up with a third dog - there was an adorable puppy in the Bodega Aurrera parking lot in the back of a pickup. Angel has officially become a dog person 🐕.
Tomorrow Rick Weibel and Tom Wingo will work with the guests on some maintenance projects. Electric wire, window screening, and smoke detectors have been kindly donated, and, among other projects, they hope to get some plumbing work done as well as improving the lighting in the cooking area.
The guests we meet at Casa del Migrante, no matter where they’re from or how long they stay, are, without fail, warm and kind. We leave after each visit feeling our lives have been enriched by our contacts with them. There are good people everywhere.
Hug someone hard and
don’t let the bastards grind you down.
- Carol
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2/10/26
SSF Shelter Report
From Jan St Peters
Fran DeVoss accompanied me, Jan, to Casa del Migrante migrant shelter in Sonoyta, Sonora, Mexico today. We brought lots of food from Muffet and 2 bags of treats and medicine from Carol for the shelter. I brought 4 outdoor chairs I had found at a yard sale and when the lady heard I was taking them to the shelter, she gave them to me for free!
The big excitement was 2 new guests from Honduras. One guy said he had been to Casa del Migrante 2 years ago. I didn’t have time to get their stories but I will next week.
We went to the grocery store and got food and medicine. Then we took R to lunch at Lupita’s Taqueria. He really liked the fish he had.
We came back to CDM and unloaded everything. While we were there we ran into several men who don’t stay at the shelter but come and eat and sometimes shower.
It was a shorter day. Thanks to Lynn B, Aven and Rob M for donations this week, and Muffet, for food. Carol and Tom have had a table at the Saturday Mercado in Ajo to solicit donations for dog food. It’s been very successful!
- Jan
Note from Carol:
One of the dogs, Chihuahua (when she was a pup she looked like a chihuahua!), cut her paw badly on a piece of sheet metal Sunday. The cook was able to get her to the vet for stitches and sent me a photo. He said he got to be the veterinarian’s assistant; when I said that would be a good career for him, he said no, he had his eyes closed the whole time!
Help someone get registered to vote, and don’t let the bastards grind you down.
***********
2/11/26
SSF Shelter Report Part 2
This morning Rick Weibel and Tom Wingo visited Casa del Migrante in order to evaluate maintenance needs. They inspected every nook and cranny, visited with the assistant manager for about an hour and a half, and are planning a work day for next week. Projects being planned include plumbing, minor electrical work, and some screen repair. Stay tuned!
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1/5/26
Hello Everyone! I hope all of you are well and enjoying time with loved ones. Here in Ajo, we are enjoying the quiet after the holidays and balancing news-viewing 😬 with trips out in the beautiful Sonoran Desert.
2025 was a busy year for Samaritanos Sin Fronteras. Thanks to our supporters, SSF provided funds for ultrasounds, removal of a benign cyst in a CDM guest’s shoulder, dental extractions for 3 guests, dentures for 2 guests, treatment for amoebic dysentery, antibiotics for an extensive infection of the manager’s upper jaw and sinus, treatment for prostate issues, and over-the counter and prescription medications.
We were also able to purchase a new hot water heater and a new toilet for Casa Del Migrante, essential for health and comfort.
With our weekly grocery runs, accompanied by CDM’s cook who made a list each week of needed items, we were able to buy food to supply approximately 5,840 meals, including special meal celebrations for Easter, Mexican Independence Day, and Christmas Eve. As part of the Christmas Eve celebration, due to generous donations, each guest received a complete set of new clothes in appropriate sizes: a warm jacket, pants, long-sleeved t-shirt, button-down long-sleeved shirt, underwear, socks, shoes, warm gloves, and a knitted hat, plus there was a fun raffle where each guest won a prize of his choice from food items and extra clothing.
Animals: as of December, there are 9 dogs at CDM and 1 desert tortoise. SSF, vía Karla Vásquez and Clinica Esperanza, has had 8 of the 9 dogs spayed or neutered. The dogs have also had their shots, and SSF provides their food. If you’re looking for a good dog…..
SSF helped the shelter at the beginning of the year with an invasion of ticks and at mid-year with an invasion of bedbugs, providing chemicals and applicators to rid the shelter of creepy-crawlies. We also provided fly strips and mouse traps for ongoing pest control.
When a former CDM guest needed to return to his home country of Honduras to care for his ailing brother, SSF was able to help him with travel funds, and when a former resident of Casa San Pedro migrant shelter (now closed) whose family entered the US legally seeking asylum had a family member deported and subsequently murdered, SSF supporters raised funds to transport the body from Guadalajara to Guerrero, his mother’s home town, bringing a sad closure to an awful and unnecessary tragedy.
We are continually amazed at the resilience and kindness of those we encounter at Casa Del Migrante, and at the generosity and support of good people all over the world. You are truly making a difference in the lives of folks who, for whatever reason, can’t reach home. People eat healthy food because of you, they have a comfortable place to stay, clean clothing, medical and dental care, and canine companions (and a tortoise!) to give them affection while they are deciding what to do next. Life is better for guests at Casa Del Migrante because of your support. Thank you.
Attached is our revenue statement for 2025.
Happy New Year, everyone, and don’t let the bastards grind you down. Together we can affect change❤️
- Carol
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Note: If you are able, please consider a 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.
We have the 2026 Candid Gold Seal of Approval:
Gallery
Get Involved
Learn How You Can Help
Make a Donation
Samaritanos Sin Fronteras operates on tax-deductible philanthropic contributions from organizations and people like you. Your donation goes directly to help people living in migrant shelters in Sonoyta. It helps purchase nutritious food, necessary prescriptions, medical care, clothing, shoes, and hygiene needs, as well as pet food and pet medications. Please consider a monthly donation of just $10. Donations are 100% tax deductible. You can make a donation through PayPal (click the donate button), via check in care of our treasurer:
Doug Schnare 121 Rocalla Ave Ajo, AZ 85321
Or vía Zelle (413) 695-9571 to our National Bank of Arizona account)
Our Tax ID is 88-0867314
Volunteer
If you are in the Ajo, Arizona area and would like to get involved, please send us an email at samsinfront@gmail.com and we’ll reach out to you.
Spread the Word
Learn about events, see the latest news, and easily share information about helping those in need. Find us on Facebook at Samaritanos Sin Fronteras.
Amazon Wishlist
Wondering how to give back and be a part of a transformative program that helps so many people? This is a quick, easy way to support people in need with in-kind donations specifically tailored to shelter requests. Items listed are updated as requested by shelter managers.
Contact us today to learn more about how you can take part.
Financials
We are most grateful to our donors who support our work. Without the financial support we receive, this would not be possible. Below are the revenue statements and balance sheets since the inception of our nonprofit in 2024.
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2025
Start:$4265.83
1st Qtr. 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr 2025 Total
Groceries $2164.82 $2560.24 $2844.56 $3017.77 $10,587.39
Wkly Support $998.19 $1107.16 $1618.77 $1530.88 $5255.00
Phone $56.90 $277.83 $80.47 $56.01 $481.93
Electricity $231.60 $81.77 $307.26 $126.95 $747.58
Cable $36.90 $36.03 $37.85 $38.61 $149.39
Propane $0 $0 $11.11 $11.54 $22.65
Medical $2070.26 $1151.79 $1390.19 $330.04 $4955.41
Animals $341.32 $27.65 $249.49 $253.75 $768.84
Maintenance $436.21 $3.16 $166.83 $0 $619.83
Miscellaneous $42.05 $93.49 $122.67 $638.15 $1143.32
Body Transp. $0 $0 $2295.95 $152.99 $2448.94
Travel $0 $605.98 $0 $65.14 $676.84
Total $6378.25 $5945.10 $9125.15 $6221.83 $27,857.12
Donations $11050.88 $3372.06 $6239.98 $4901.44 $25,567.36
Final balance: $1976.07
2025 was a busy year. Thanks to our supporters, SSF provided funds for
ultrasounds, removal of a benign cyst in a CDM guest’s shoulder, dental extractions for 3 guests, dentures for 2 guests, treatment of amoebic dysentery,
antibiotics for an extensive infection of the manager’s upper jaw and sinus,
treatment for prostate issues, and over-the counter and prescription medications.
We were also able to purchase a new hot water heater and a new toilet for CDM.
With our weekly grocery runs, accompanied by CDM’s cook, we were able to buy food for 5,840 meals, including special meal celebrations at Easter, for Mexican Independence Day, and for Christmas Eve. As part of the Christmas Eve celebration, due to generous donations, each guest received a complete set of new clothes: jacket, pants, long-sleeved t-shirt, button-down long-sleeved shirt, underwear, socks, shoes, warm gloves, and a knitted hat, plus there was a fun raffle where each guest won a prize of his choice from food items and extra clothing.
Animals: as of December, there are 9 dogs at CDM and 1 desert tortoise. SSF, vía Karla Vásquez and Clinica Esperanza, has had 8 of the 9 dogs spayed or neutered. The dogs have also had their shots, and SSF provides their food.
SSF helped the shelter at the beginning of the year with an invasion of ticks 😬and at mid-year with an invasion of bedbugs😳, providing chemicals and applicators to rid the shelter of pests. We also provided fly strips and mouse traps.🐀
When a former CDM guest needed to return to his home country of Honduras to care for his ailing brother, SSF was able to help him with travel funds, and when a former resident of Casa San Pedro migrant shelter whose family entered the US legally seeking asylum had a family member deported and subsequently murdered, SSF supporters raised funds to transport the body from Guadalajara to Guerrero, to his mother’s home town, bringing a sad closure to an awful and unnecessary tragedy.
We are continually amazed at the resilience and kindness of those we encounter at Casa Del Migrante, and at the generosity and support of good people here in the U.S. You are truly making a difference in the lives of folks who, for whatever reason, can’t reach home. People eat healthy food because of you, they have a comfortable place to stay, clean clothing, medical and dental care, and canine companions to give them affection while they are deciding what to do next. Life is better for guests at Casa Del Migrante because of your support. Thank you.
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2024 Revenue Report
Jan. 26 (SSF becomes a nonprofit) - Dec 31, 2024
Revenue
Beginning Balance: $1271.69
Donations: $18115.41
Expenditures: $15121.27
Ending Balance: $4265.83
Expenditures (Casa del Migrante)
Shelter support: $4857.61
Medical: $861.15
Construction: $0.00
Maintenance: $0.00
Propane: $8.86
Cable: $0.00
Electric bill: $493.77
Groceries: : $5449.56
Vet/animal expenses (food included in grocery bill: $906.14
Transportation: $264.03
Clothing/shoes: $1215.99
ATM (cash to pay propane/vet): $83.62
Holiday meals (Christmas Eve/Mexican Independence Day): $338.16
Tariff for bringing donations across Mexican border (one time charge): $25.81
Manager’s phone: $205.57
Wire transfer fee for donation: $11.00
Does not include services paid for in cash (maintenance, utilities, food, medical, animal care)
Total: $15121.27
Donations: $18115.41
Expenditures: - $15121.27
Net: $2994.14
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990-N Postcard filed with the IRS for tax year 2024:
Tax Period:
2024 (01/01/2024-12/31/2024)
EIN:
88-0867314
Organization Name (Doing Business as):
SAMARITANOS SIN FRONTERAS
Mailing Address:
121 Rocalla Ave
Ajo, AZ 85321
United States
Principal Officer's Name and Address:
Carol Wingo
825 W 1st St
Ajo, AZ 85321
United States
Gross receipts not greater than:
$50,000
Organization has terminated:
No
Website URL:
A huge thank you to all who donated to support the migrant shelters in 2024, whether vía monetary or in-kind donations. Your help provided 448 meals for
hungry people, kept them cool in 115° summers and warm in 30° winters, ensured prescriptions and other
medical care were available, and kept shelter pets fed and healthy❤️
Contact Us
Want to get involved with Samaritanos Sin Fronteras? Reach out to us and we will get back to you shortly.