Stories from the Border

Mateo was only four years old when his mother noticed something was wrong. He had stopped eating, lost weight rapidly, and cried through the night from pain no child should ever know. A trip to the local clinic confirmed the family's worst fear — a tumor.

Without resources for treatment, his parents turned to Paper Houses Across the Border. Within days, we coordinated with a specialist, covered the cost of his MRI, and helped the family travel to a private clinic where Mateo could receive proper care.

Paper Houses helped Mateo and his family during his battle with cancer, including assistance with medical care. Sadly, Mateo later passed away. We remember Mateo and the family who loved him.

Jeymy Alexa was born with an infantile hemangioma — a vascular tumor on her face that grew rapidly in her first months of life. Her family had no means to pay for the surgery she needed, and local doctors said there was nothing they could do.

Paper Houses Across the Border connected the family with a surgeon willing to help, covered the surgical costs, and made sure Jeymy had everything she needed before and after the procedure.

Jeymy's surgery in January 2026 was a success. She is healing beautifully, and her family is looking forward to a future they once thought impossible.

Oscar Santos González was rushed to the hospital in February 2026 in critical condition. His family had no insurance, no savings, and no way to pay for the emergency care he desperately needed.

A call came in to Paper Houses Across the Border late on a Friday night. By Saturday morning, we had mobilized funds, contacted the hospital, and ensured Oscar received the treatment that saved his life.

Oscar continues his fight against leukemia, and Paper Houses continues to stand by Oscar and his family.

Carolina was diagnosed with cancer at a time when her family had already been stretched thin by years of poverty. Chemotherapy was not something they could afford — not the medicine, not the travel, not the time away from work.

Paper Houses Across the Border stepped in to cover her treatment costs, provide transportation support, and make sure Carolina never had to miss a session because of money.

As of August 15, 2025, Carolina continues her chemotherapy, and Paper Houses remains at her side.

Every August, thousands of children in the colonias surrounding Acuña face the start of the school year without the basic supplies they need. Notebooks, pencils, backpacks — things that cost very little but mean everything to a child who wants to learn.

For over two decades, Paper Houses Across the Border has organized school supply drives, collecting donations from communities in Del Rio and beyond, then distributing them directly to families in the colonias.

Each backpack handed to a child is a message: you matter, your education matters, and there are people who believe in your future.