Liz Garcia has become used to answering her phone at Valley View United Methodist Church and hearing a wide array of requests from callers.
From, “Can you remodel our bathroom?” to, “I need a ride,” to, ”Will you pay my gas bill?” Garcia has probably heard them all.
She falls victim to becoming Española Valley’s central services dispatcher for two reasons. First, she’s an ex-officio board member of Amigos del Valle, a non-profit organization focused on supporting seniors. Second, Amigos begins with “A” and callers tend to logically start at the beginning of the meager phone listings for support.
A third partial reason is that there’s another non-profit organization based in Santa Fe called Los Amigos E.R.C. that actually does weatherization work.
Administrative Services Director for Los Amigos E.R.C. Glenda Romero said her organization provides services in 17 counties and Rio Arriba is one of them.
The mission statement from their website states, “Our mission is to assist and provide services to the frail, elderly, low-income, disabled, and disadvantaged throughout Northern New Mexico. These services shall consist of but will not be limited to the weatherization of homes, providing fuel wood, conducting energy audits, public education, radon testing and mitigation, improving indoor air quality through carbon monoxide testing, heating equipment installation and repair, ramp and grab bar installation for the handicapped, and roof repairs.”
Garcia said when she gets a call asking for help with a ramp or fuel wood, she knows to send callers to Los Amigos.
Other construction-related calls may be directed to Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit group headquartered on Riverside Drive.
Habitat’s Director Yvonne Maestas said she’s familiar with the calls from both Garcia and people directed by Garcia. Maestas has been a full-time employee of Habitat for 13 years.
“We get those calls from people needing a wheelchair ramp, or a door widened or maybe a grab bar,” Maestas said.
Maestas was reluctant to divulge how the organization handles those requests. It’s not part of their mission and it’s strictly done on a case-by-case basis. She said the group’s primary purpose is to build houses. But she did admit to handling some of those requests.
“Our ‘Wednesday Guys’ do some of that stuff,” she said “It’s just a small group of retired angels.”
Habitat has performed 30 remodels, Garcia said. They’re considering putting together a group of volunteers to handle the many requests for small jobs. However, the “Wednesday Guys” need some younger blood coming into the group to help.
“They keep telling me, ‘We’re getting too old to be doing this,’” Garcia said.
Other requests Maestas said she’s handled may be for small things.
“We sold a lady a toilet for $1 because she was going to be evicted after one of her kids broke the landlords’ toilet,” she said. “We gave a lady a couch because her kids were sleeping on the floor.”
Information, Please
Most of the calls Garcia receives aren’t requests for services. They’re trying to get directed somewhere, she said.
“A few of the requests we address, but most are out of our area (of service focus),” Garcia said. “If the caller is under 62 (years old) we can’t help at all, except to try to get them to someone who can. We only serve seniors.”
Rev. Dennis Heffner, executive director of Amigos del Valle since its inception, said one of the major problems in providing services to the needy is the lack of a proper listing of services.
“The Chamber (of Commerce) used to maintain a list, but I don’t know what their status is now,” Heffner said. “And the phone book’s minimal listing is in 10-point type. Seniors can’t read that.”
Many of the calls are informational only. Garcia said retired people moving to the Valley are seeking senior centers near their homes to get a meal, connect with people their own age, and perhaps take part in activities and trips.
“I can find out where they live, and give them a location or phone number to the nearest senior center,” Garcia said.
She has a complete list of senior centers handy.
Some senior centers are listed in the Española telephone directory under Rio Arriba County. So people moving here don’t know where to look. In the Yellow Pages, under senior citizens’ service organizations, some senior centers are listed but not all. The only true service organization listed is Amigos del Valle. Hence, the phone calls to Garcia.
Can I Get a Ride?
Probably the most common need is simple transportation. Amigos del Valle transports seniors to many different kinds of appointments, generally medical. However, they only serve seniors, and Garcia and Heffner have had to draw the line on some appointments.
Dialysis patients are the hardest struck by transportation needs. Garcia said many patients are either alone or have a sick spouse at home, unable to drive. Most patients’ children work and can perhaps drop off a parent but can’t wait the three or four hours to pick them up.
That was the reason Amigos del Valle made the painful but necessary decision to stop transporting dialysis patients, even if they’re seniors. Amigos’ policy requires their transportation people to drive the clients, get them inside the respective doctor’s office and ensure they’re checked in with the receptionist. They also are sometimes asked to “translate” when a doctor is explaining a diagnosis or treatment plan. Then the Amigos employee takes the client home.
To follow that procedure with dialysis patients would mean the Amigos employee spends many hours sitting in a waiting room, while other needs weren’t being met.
Debbie Briggs is the manager of Española Dialysis located on Industrial Park Road. It is operated by Fresenius Medical Care, the largest dialysis provider in the country.
Briggs said she was not aware of any transportation problems locally.
“People coming from Pojoaque sometimes have trouble because they’re midway between Española and Santa Fe,” she said.
When local people need a ride after dialysis, Briggs said they call local transport (the North Central Regional Transit District’s blue buses) and they come pick up patients and take them home.
Outside public transportation, family members bring patients in and return in four hours to pick them up, she said.
Veterans
Veterans who can’t drive or don’t have a vehicle also find themselves in a tight spot when it comes to transportation, Garcia said.
“A disabled veteran called me last week,” Garcia said. “He needed a ride to the (federal) Veterans Affairs (Department) Hospital in Albuquerque. He was only 57 so I couldn’t help him.”
Garcia said she spoke with the man for about 15 minutes about his situation and needs.
“He said, ‘No one has spent any time with me on the phone,’” Garcia said. “He was lonely and glad someone would talk with him. We ended up praying together at the end of the call.”
Veterans who need transportation to Albuquerque are caught in a massive bureaucratic maze. A call to the local Department clinic resulted in being referred to the Albuquerque center and the press room. Local Department employees aren’t allowed to talk to newspapers. A veteran with a real transportation need may fair better.
The Albuquerque office was no help. It’s an automated system which eventually spits you out in a department other than transportation needs. Proper paperwork was not submitted to get more information through the press venue for this story because an answer would not be forthcoming before press time.
A veteran can call 1-800-465-8262, ext. 2821 or 4927, in Albuquerque and go through the process of getting a ride.
Below is a list of service-providers that may help newcomers or longtime residents looking for a particular service who don’t know where to look. Many of the people contacted for this story were frustrated that there either was no help available or they didn’t know where to go for help.
As this series continues through the summer, we encourage groups that provide services in Rio Arriba County for Rio Arribans to contact the Rio Grande SUN so we can further match people in the Valley who need help with those who can provide it. Contact News Editor Lou Mattei at 753-2126 or rgsun@cybermesa.com.
The following list was provided by the Rio Arriba County Public Health Office. Health Systems Planner Elena Berliner said the County and other nonprofit programs have been compiling the list for many years. They welcome updates and corrections.
From their website: “This is a selected listing of commonly used resources and the phone numbers are current at the time of posting. Entries are not intended as preferred providers. Except where noted, all numbers are (505) area code.”
For more information, if you need help locating a service, or to send updates, corrections, requests for inclusion on the list, call 753-3143 or visit www.rachc.org.
Presbyterian Salud 1-888-977-2333
State Medicaid office 1-800-282-4477
American Red Cross 1-800-560-2302
Companion Animal Rescue Effort for Domestic Violence victims’ pets 265-2322, 1-800-797-3260
Crisis Shelter 753-1656, 800-206-1656
State Children, Youth and Families Department 753-7191, abuse line 1-800-797-3260
Crisis Center of Northern New Mexico 753-1656
Domestic Violence Shelter Referral Hotline 1-800-773-3645
National Youth Crisis Hotline 1-800-Hit-Home
State Poison and Drug Info Center 1-800-222-1222
State Suicide Intervention Project 820-1066
Santa Fe Rape Crisis Center 1-800-721-7273
St. Elizabeth’s Shelter 424-6973
Youth Shelters and Family Services 983-0588
Española Housing Authority 753-3897
Habitat for Humanity 747-2690
La Vista del Rio Apartments 753-2304
Las Lomas Apartments 747-3790
Los Alamos County Housing 662-8197
Rio Arriba County Housing 753-7870
Santa Clara Apartments 753-2376
Santa Fe County Housing 992-3060
Village of Chama Housing 575-756-2986
Albuquerque Catholic Charities Immigration Program 424-9789
Somos Un Pueblo Unido 424-7832
Law Access New Mexico 1-800-340-9771
New Mexico Legal Aid, Inc. 1-800-373-9881
State Center on Law and Poverty 255-2840
Blue Salud 1-866-689-1523
Espanola Income Support Division 753-2271, fax 753-5826
Lovelace Salud 1-800-808-7363
Molina Salud 1-800-377-9594
Circle of Life Behavioral Health Network 852-1377
Easter Seals — El Mirador (Casa de Corazon) 747-1991
Equest Counseling Center 455-0555
Inside Out 367-3500
Life Link (Santa Fe) 438-0010
La Clinica del Pueblo Behavioral Health Tierra Amarilla 575-588-9506
Las Clinicas del Norte 581-4728
Las Cumbres 753-4123
Las Cumbres Fatherhood Program 753-4123, ext.148
Men’s Support Group — Ron Kaskalla 575-770-6581
Tewa Women United 747-3259
North Star Counseling 747-0022
Peacekeepers Domestic Violence Counseling 753-4790, 1-800-400-8694
Teambuilders, Inc. 747-0081
Free transportation for veterans to Albuquerque Veterans Affairs Department health appointments 1-800-465-8262, ext. 2821 or 4927
Lovelace Salud 1-877-735-0111
Molina Salud 1-888-593-2052
New Mexico Park and Ride 1-866-551-7433
New Mexico Rail Runner 1-866-795-7245
North Central Regional Transit District 1-866-206-0754 or 747-3631
Deptartment of Vocational Rehabilitation 753-2908
New Mexico Works Program 753-2271
Workforce Solutions — state Labor Department 753-2285
Rio Arriba County Income Support Division 753-2271
Child Support Enforcement Division 476-9589
Rio Arriba County Indigent Fund 753-2992, ext. 5389
Social Security 1-800-772-1213
HELP-NM, Inc. 753-7181
Life Link 438-0010
Salvation Army 988-8054
Self Help 662-4666
Income Support Division-Food Stamps 753-2271
Espanola Public Health WIC program 753-4659
Eight Northern Pueblos WIC program 1-800-734-2488
Tierra Amarilla WIC program 575-588-7215
Dulce WIC program 575-759-3304
Local SHARE site (St. Stephen’s Church) 747-0306
Eight Northern Pueblos Food Distribution program 1-800-734-2488
Espanola Farmers Market 685-4842
Kitchen Creations 685-4523
Community Diabetes Initiative 367-4402
St. Martin’s Soup Kitchen — serves lunch Monday through Friday, 11:30 to noon.
The Rock Christian Outreach — distributes food Saturdays noon to 2 p.m.
Interfaith LEAP — distributes food every third Thursday of the month 1 to 3 p.m. at the John Hyson Center in Chimayó
Chimayo Youth Conservation Corps 351-1456
La Vision del Valle Teen Center (La Puebla) 747-1889
Española Public Library 747-6088
Lucero Center Recreation 747-6055
Moving Arts Española 927-0108
Pojoaque Wellness Center 455-9355
Rio Arriba Teen Pregnancy Coalition 753-3143
YMCA Teen Technology and Recreation Center 747-6569
Rio Arriba Community Health Council www.rachc.org
Alcoholics Anonymous (meets daily) 695-0042
El Centro Family Health 753-7218
Inside Out 367-3500
Narcotics Anonymous (meets every Sunday and Wednesday) 929-2569, 1-800-258-2971
Rio Arriba County Health and Human Services Department 753-3143
Rio Arriba County DWI Program 747-1418
Rock Christian Outreach 753-2094
Santa Fe Recovery Center 471-4475, 471-4985
Valley Community Health Clinic-Española 747-7400
Children Youth and Family Department childcare assistance 753-0222
Northern New Mexico College Early Childhood Development Center 747-2123
Adoption:
• La Familia Inc. Albuquerque 766-9361
• Big Brothers/Big Sisters Northern New Mexico 983-8360
• Families FIRST 753-7957
• La Clinica Community Outreach 588-7252
• Las Cumbres Community Services 753-4123
• Las Cumbres Fatherhood Program 753-4123, ext.148
• Los Alamos First Born Program 412-1412
• New Mexico Young Father’s Project 428-1412
• PMS Headstart 747-3353
• Positive Life Choice Center of America 747-9450
• Rio Arriba County Health and Human Services Department 753-3143
• Rio Arriba First Born Program 747-2050
Santa Fe Children’s Project 660-7720
Tewa Women United Community Doula Program 747-3259
YDI Headstart 747-0502
Eight Northern Pueblos Headstart 852-4265
Boys and Girls Clubs:
• Chimayo 351-1515
• Ohkay Owingeh 747-3843
• Santa Cruz 753-2922
• Abiquiú 685-4586
• Pojoaque 455-3659
Dentists who accept Medicaid:
• El Centro (Espanola) 753-7395
• El Centro Chama Clinic 575-756-2143
• La Clinica del Pueblo (Tierra Amarilla) 575-588-7252
• Las Clinicas del Norte (El Rito) 581-4728
• Santa Clara Dental Clinic 753-9421
• Small Smiles (Santa Fe) 505-474-4993
Childcare
• Blue Sky Kidz Daycare Center 747-0830
• Cañones Early Childhood Center 575-638-5687
• Creative Kids Child Care Center 747-7090
• El Centro de los Niños 575—588-0106
• Family Learning Center 753-2739
Early Childhood Centers:
• Cariño de los Ninos Charter School 852-3116
• Family Learning Center 753-2739
• McCurdy Mission Preschool 753-7221
• Rock Christian 753-2094
• Trio School 747-3962
• Victory Faith 747-0039
Headstart
• Ohkay-Owingeh 852-2358
• Dulce 575-759-3343
• Santa Clara 753-7326
• San Ildefonso 455-2171
• Eight Northern Pueblos 852-4265
Headstart-YDI:
• Abiqiui Elementary 685-4084
• Alta Vista Mountain View Elementary 351-4142
• Chimayó 351-2266
• El Rito 581-4454
• Espanola — Railroad Avenue 747-1456
Hospitals:
• Christus St. Vincent 983-3361
• Espanola Hospital 753-7111
• Los Alamos Medical Center 662-4201
• Santa Fe Indian Hospital 946-9459
Public Health Care Providers:
• El Centro Family Health 753-7218
Española Public Health Office:
• Health Services/Disease Prevention 753-2794
• Children’s Medical Services 753-3142
• Women Infant Children 753-4659
• La Clinica del Pueblo de Rio Arriba 575-588-7252
• Los Alamos Medical Center Family Practice Clinic 753-1268
Teen Health Clinics:
• Española Middle School 929-1629
• Espanola Valley High School 929-1629
• Dulce High School 575-759-2924