Spouses of Border Patrol agents organize food drive for federal workers
The government shutdown has left thousands of federal government employees in El Paso and Southern New Mexico struggling to make ends meet.
There are 2,173 uniformed agents in the El Paso sector which covers 124,199 square miles between New Mexico and El Paso County.
The Border Patrol Agent Family Network (BPAFN) is a non-profit organization made up of volunteer that help agents and their families if they ever find themselves in need.
BPAFN typically assists families in the event of an agent’s death or when a family comes across a hardship.
With the government shutdown surpassing a month, agents and other federal employees will miss a second paycheck.
BPAFN is hosting a food drive for federal workers impacted by the shutdown this Saturday.
Arlean Murillo, the wife of a Border Patrol agent and volunteer, has seen the need in her community.
She is one of the volunteers who has reached out to area businesses for donations.
“I know of about fifty families looking for assistance and I’m pretty sure there is more of them out there,” Murillo said.
The food drive will be held Saturday, January 26 in Sunland Park, New Mexico at City Hall, located at 1000 McNutt Rd.
The event begins at 10 a.m. and will last until supplies run out. You must show a government ID or documentation.
“We are seeing a lot of support in our community, so that definitely helps us and helps our morale,” said Vanessa Alvarado, leader of BPAFN’s El Paso chapter.
The group is still looking for more businesses to assist with donations. You can e-mail the organization at bpafnelpasosec@yahoo.com or call Arlean Murillo at (575) 936-0398.
