SAN ANTONIO – Catholic Charities operates various centers in Texas to help the influx of women and children from Central America entering the country illegally.
Sacred Heart Parish Hall in McAllen has been turned into a relief center for families that have crossed the border.
Members of the community have donated their time and resources, such as clothing and toys, to the cause.
"Everyone is a volunteer here. The solidarity you have seen in this humanitarian outreach has been so uplifting," said Brenda Riojaso of Catholic Charities.
The city of McAllen has also provided hundreds of thousands of dollars in aid to keep the center open, with the expectation the government will pay them back.
The faith-based effort also extends to the Alamo City, where Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller recently called on parishes to collect donations.
Parishioners have responded to the call and on Tuesday, Catholic Charities in San Antonio will be receiving the donations collected over the weekend.
All the items donated will be dropped off at 202 West French Place where volunteers will help sort, package and store the items.
After packaging, the donations will be sent to Lackland Air Force Base, the Rio Grande Valley and Laredo.