Las Cruces girl finds small ways to make a big difference

Through a number of local service projects that she initiated, a Las Cruces middle school student has discovered “how easy it can be to make a difference (and) put as much good into the world as possible.”

Jubilee Simmons, 14, and a student at J. Paul Taylor Academy, is helping the homeless, people who are feeling down and a local animal shelter, among other projects.

Jubilee and her neighbor, Sylvia Staley, began going door-to-door in the neighborhood in December selling raffle tickets to benefit Safe haven Animal Sanctuary. They purchased a $20 Caliche’s Frozen Custard gift card with their own money to offer as a prize and had raised more than $200 by the second week of January. The fundraiser continues through the end of January. Raffle tickets are $1. Visit https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/safe-haven-animal-sanctuary-raffle1 for more information.

Jubilee and her mother, Nora Brown, made bags of food and distributed them to people struggling with homelessness in Las Cruces in late 2020.

“Seeing their smiles, it very much changed my view of homeless people,” Jubilee said. Reaching out to the homeless also makes it impossible to ignore them, which is easy for most people to do, she said.

Jubilee has acted in several films and would like to become a screenwriter. She is taking voice lessons from Sara Neely and writing songs.

Singing and writing, working on her service projects, doing schoolwork, caring for two dogs and two cats, and redecorating her room have kept Jubilee busy during the pandemic.

Jubilee said her advice to anyone who wants to help others is to not be overwhelmed by the need that exists.

“What’s best is to not look at these problems as numbers,” she said. Instead, “look at people living their lives. You can’t help everyone, but you can help some of them. In terms of human connection, you never know what other people are going through.”

“I think she's inspirational in the sense that she's making small changes where she can,” Brown said of her daughter. “What a neat world it would be if we all thought of small ways we could spread cheer during these strange times.”