League of United Latin American Citizens
LULAC was organized in El Paso in October 1933 (just four years after the founding of LULAC) and has been serving the community ever since.
Thousands of El Pasoans have been LULAC members and have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for scholarships, built low income housing units, served on hundreds of community, City and County boards and commissions, and have contributed their time and financial resources to improve the quality of life for the citizens of El Paso. Many LULAC members have served in elected offices such as Judges, City Council, Commissioners Court and the State Legislature.
Although the LULAC National Office is located in Washington D.C., its Fiscal & Membership Office is located in downtown El Paso (Chase Bank Building), as is the LULAC National Education Service Center (located at the Martin Luther King Housing, 9101 Butternut). This office coordinates awarding scholarships to students attending colleges and universities throughout the nation.
LULAC Project Amistad is one of the many programs established by the LULAC organization in El Paso.
Guardianship Program
Since 1994, LULAC Project Amistad has administered the El Paso County Indigent Guardianship Program. LULAC Project Amistad serves as Guardian for indigent persons who have no one else to care for them. Caseworkers prepare initial assessments on referrals and testify before the Probate Court.
There are many elderly persons who are neglected, abused and exploited and who cannot care for themselves. For them, there is no one else! Left alone, their life style deteriorates and they become indigent and eventually come to the attention of the Probate Court, which may assign LULAC Project Amistad as their legal guardian.
Six caseworkers monitor the clients and have regular consultations with a Licensed Advance Clinical Practitioner experienced in the mental health mental retardation environment.
Money Management & Social Services Program
Many low-income, elderly and disabled persons are at risk of becoming homeless, poorly nourished, and unable to care for themselves. These individuals suffer from dementia, Alzheimer’s, severe injury or other debilitating illnesses, or due to their age, cannot make complex decisions about their well-being. These at-risk citizens are referred to LULAC Project Amistad by Social Security, the Veterans Administration or other social service agencies.
In these cases, LULAC Project Amistad manages their assets and ensures that shelter, food and medication is provided to them.
Transportation Program
Medical Transportation Program: This program was established in 1967. It provides transportation services throughout El Paso County. Persons applying for this service must be referred by the Area Agency on Aging, the Texas Medical Transportation Program or the El Paso County Mobility Impaired Program.
LULAC Project Amistad serves many “colonias” in outlying County areas. For these residents, this is the only means of travel to visit a doctor, receive therapy, or receive life-saving kidney dialysis treatment. Eighty percent of people who qualify for this service receive dialysis treatment. Transportation services begin as early as 4:00 AM and continue until 8:00 PM. Total trips logged by this program exceeded 100,000.
El Paso County Rural Transit Program: This program is contracted with the County of El Paso and offers transportation to County residents outside the City of El Paso. Fixed routes provide County residents the ability to travel to the nearest Sun Metro Terminal and obtain a transfer (at no cost to them) to any other area of the City of El Paso.
This program provides a major service and impacts the economy of El Paso County as thousands of workers use this transit system to reach their place of employment; students use it to attend school; and hundreds of other persons use it to meet their daily transportation needs. (Call us to inquire if you or a family member qualifies for these services.)
