Tents to Rents Profile

Raul and his dog Noodles

Courtesy photo

Posted Thursday, August 20, 2026 2:07 pm

Everyone deserves a safe place to sleep

Tents to Rents was created by Mesilla Valley Community of Hope to shine a light on a reality many people never see. Members of our community are staying in tents at Camp Hope because they have nowhere else to go. The name reflects our mission — to help individuals move from a tent to a rental home, transforming homelessness into housing and uncertainty into stability.

Since 2011, Camp Hope has provided a safe outdoor space for people experiencing homelessness. Operating as low-barrier, temporary, transitional shelter, Camp Hope receives no federal, state, or local government funding, making community support essential to its operation.

Through Tents to Rents, it raises the funds needed to sustain Camp Hope, including insurance, tents, utilities, case management, and other operating expenses. These funds also help residents overcome the financial barriers to housing through security deposits, application fees, and move-in costs.

Every contribution helps create a pathway from homelessness to a home—truly turning tents into rents.

Hometown Hope participants choose one out of the six weeks of our Tents to Rents fundraiser to share a percentage of their revenue towards helping residents of Camp Hope transition into homes of their own. View the schedule of events and support those who are supporting Tents to Rents and have a great time while you're at it.

Hometown Hope begins Aug. 17 and continues for six weeks Visit tentstorents.org for the Hometown Hope calendar to see who’s sharing this week.

At 72 years of age, Raul represents one of the fastest growing groups of homeless people — seniors. He was staying with a friend in El Paso, but when she had to move, he found himself literally on the sidewalk near a shopping center with nowhere to go.

After several days of sleeping on pavements, Raul asked for a ride home to Las Cruces from a man with New Mexico license plates. As they drove up the freeway, the man was moved by Raul’s story and took him to several places in town hoping to help him find a place to stay and eventually brought him to Camp Hope. Raul is grateful for the kindness of this stranger.

He has a small income from social security which he hopes is enough for a small apartment for himself and his dog Noodles, and he is pursuing all leads. He has been at the camp for four months and is especially pressed to find housing as he needs to have heart bypass surgery, but the cardiologist said it would not be safe to do such a major surgery and let Raul return to Camp Hope for recuperation.

He has survived four heart attacks and has several stents, so he feels a sense of urgency. But despite these health challenges, Raul remains an optimistic person and has a big smile on his face.

Raul and his dog Noodles

Serving a bit of independence to seniors

Shaping more than clay

Respite from the elements

Take a breath; you’ve got this