By Mike Cook
Tents to Rents, the campaign to help more Las Crucens who are struggling with homelessness move into their own apartments, continues through Wednesday, Sept. 30. It takes only the touch of a computer button at tentstorents.org to make a donation of any size.
There are 11 sponsors this year, and you can make a donation to one of their Tents to Rents fundraising campaigns or donate without a sponsor. Good Samaritan Society Las Cruces village “Housing Helpers” raised $24,472 for the 2019 Tents to Rents campaign, and the group was nearing the $22,000 level for this year as of Sept. 10.
Because of state public health orders in response to COVID-19, the 2020 Tents to Rents campaign has been conducted entirely online. It had raised more than $35,600 as of Sept. 10, said Mesilla Valley Community of Hope (MVCH) Executive Director Nicole Martinez. Since this year’s campaign began Aug. 14, she said, MVCH has already been able to move two people into their homes.
“We are so grateful for our participants raising the funding to support Camp Hope (tent city) as an emergency shelter and a springboard where people are helped to obtain housing,” Martinez said.
Martinez came up with the idea for Tents to Rents in 2016. That year, with 10 participants and four sponsors, it raised more than $13,000. In 2017, fundraising exceeded $28,000. In 2018, more than $53,000 was raised. In 2019, 16 participants and 14 sponsors raised almost $52,000
Contact Martinez at 575-523-2219 and hope@zianet.com. Visit www.mvcommunityofhope.org. MVCH’s new mailing address is P.O. Box 16526, Las Cruces, N.M. 88004.