LULAC PROJECT AMISTAD
Project Amistad is a not for profit agency established to provide services to elderly persons, persons with disabilities, and persons at risk. It provides a variety of Transportation Programs as well as the Guardianship & Money Management Program. These programs have served hundreds of thousands of persons throughout West Texas since the agency was established in 1976.
The Medical Transportation Program serves the six West Texas Counties of El Paso, Hudspeth, Culberson, Jeff Davis, Brewster, and Presidio.
The Guardianship & Money Management Program serves the same six west Texas Counties and the Greater Midland-Odessa Area, as far as San Angelo and Big Springs, Texas! An office in Midland, Texas was established in 2008 to serve these counties.
The agency is the second largest transportation agency in the El Paso area, second to the City of El Paso’s Sun Metro.
MISSION STATEMENT
“To Serve and Advocate for Elderly, Persons with Disabilities, and Persons-at-risk by Providing Efficient Transportation, Guardianship, and Social Services, and Improve their Quality of Life.”
TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS
Medical Transportation
Project Amistad provides transportation to Medicaid eligible persons throughout the six Far West Texas Counties of El Paso, Culberson, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Brewster, and Presidio. Persons seeking transportation through this program must contact the State Medicaid office at 1-877-633-8747. Once approved, Project Amistad will provide transportation to doctor’s appointments, therapy, dialysis, to obtain prescriptions, or for other approved medical appointments.
Job Access Program
This program provides transportation to work sites, job training, and job placement or for other work related trips. The trip must originate in El Paso County (and outside the City of El Paso). For information regarding this program call 915-532-3415.
Similar service is available within the City of El Paso. For information about this service, contact the Sun Metro Job Express at 915-534-5807.
New Freedom Program
Persons with disabilities can receive transportation for virtually any reason once qualified by Volar Center for Independent Living, an agency that advocates and provides services to persons with disabilities. Riders can be transported to attend a social event, to shop, attend school, or for other reasons. For information regarding this program, call 915-532-3415.
Late night transportation service is available within the City of El Paso to persons who qualify. For information about this service, contact the Sun Metro Lift at 915-544-2514.
El Paso County Transit Program
Project Amistad contract with the County of El Paso to operate the County Transit Program. These fixed routes provide transportation from rural areas of El Paso County to points within the City of El Paso where riders transfer to Sun Metro and travel to any part of the City of El Paso served by Sun Metro. The four routes serve the Upper Valley communities along Doniphan Drive, Mission Valley (Horizon City Area), Lower Valley (Fabens), and Far East El Paso County along Highway 60 (Montana). For information about routes, hours of operation, questions, call 915-532-3474.
Area Agency on Aging, Council of Governments (COG)
Persons who are 60 years of age or older and live within the County of El Paso can receive transportation to their medical appointments once they are approved by the Area Agency on Aging (AAA). For information about qualifying for this service, contact 915-533-0998.
KOMEN for the Cure
Through a grant from KOMEN for the Cure, transportation is provided to persons from low-income families to receive cancer education, screening and treatment services. For information about this program, call 915-532-3415.
GUARDIANSHIP PROGRAM
The agency becomes the “guardian” of persons after a court hearing is held and the Probate Court finds the person to be incapacitated and in need of a “guardian”.
The agency also provides “guardianship” services to individuals who are not indigent. In these cases, a family member may not be able to perform the guardianship function, and there is no one who can be their “guardian”. The fee for this service is based on an individual plan developed for each person.
Services Provided
- Ensure client has food
- Client does not become homeless
- Medical needs are met
- Assist clients obtain Social Security, Medicaid or Medicare benefits, or food stamps
- Process legal documents
- Manage property
- Residential placement
- Place clients in community social services programs
- Make medical decisions for the clients
- Using the clients assets, ensure client’s financial needs are met
- Pay rent, utilities, bank reconciliation, other bills
- Monitor health and welfare
- Ensure there is an end of life plan (funeral arrangements)
- Advocate for clients to obtain entitlement benefits
MONEY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
Process Social Security applications
Advocate for client to obtain entitlement benefits
Pay rent, utilities, other bills
Bank reconciliations
Assist clients obtain prescriptions and medical supplies
Monitor health and welfare
Assist clients to participate in social service programs
To learn more about the Guardianship & Money Management Program call 915-532-3790.
FUND RAISING PROGRAMS
The Board of Director raises funds to meet the needs of the many low-income persons served by the agency and allows the agency to purchase basic necessities such as food, medicine, transportation, personal items, and furniture. In some instances, this fund is used to pay funeral expenses for indigent clients.
The fund raising projects include:
The “Lucy G. Acosta Humanitarian Awards Dinner”. The Humanitarian Award is presented to persons and organizations whose community service is exceptional and warrants recognition.
Alfredo Jacques Golf Tournament. Teams and sponsors are recruited to participate in this event. Mr. Jacques was one of the founders of LULAC Project Amistad and was one of its most active fund raisers.
“Papeleros with a Purpose”. This event brings volunteers and local “celebrities” together to sell the Sunday edition of the El Paso Times at forty intersections throughout the city of El Paso. Some of the celebrities have been: Mayor John Cook, U.S. Congressman Silvestre Reyes, City Council Representative Susie Byrd, State Senator Eliot Shapleigh, and Sheriff Richard Wiles.
“Project Amistad WALK.” This fun event brings hundreds of volunteers, community resources, and clients together for a “walk” to raise funds for the agency. Agencies and health-related businesses sponsor display booths to inform attendees and the public about their services.
General Contributions: The agency receives contributions from the public during the year. These funds support the many clients who have little or no income to meet their basic needs. Contributions can be mailed to LULAC Project Amistad, 1359 Lomaland, Suite 400, El Paso, Texas 79935-5201.
For information about a specific event, or if your organization is interested in sponsoring an event to support the Client Health and Welfare Fund, call 915-225-1677.
To contribute to the agency’s Client Health & Welfare fund, make checks payable to: LULAC Project Amistad- Client Health & Welfare Fund, 1359 Lomaland, Suite 400, El Paso, Texas 79935-5201.
Contributions are tax deductible as allowed by the IRS.
