Mesa to Mesa
Mesa to Mesa
It is the mission of Mesa to Mesa to bring people together to improve the health, safety, and security of low income homeowners in northern New Mexico by performing minor repairs to their homes, facilitating larger repairs by means of referrals and collaborations, and providing home maintenance education.
Our office is located in Española, and we serve a 30-35 mile range from our office that includes Rio Arriba, Santa Fe, Los Alamos, and Taos counties. We have expanded our service area in order to assist clients in typically underserved areas of northern New Mexico.
We have also begun a new collaboration with NM Ramp Project. NM Ramp Project team members have provided training to a group of volunteers that are ready to begin constructing ramps for individuals in our area. The majority of our clients are elderly and all meet the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
Requests for services vary in complexity, but we find that the projects have become more involved and expensive. Some of the jobs we have completed include: installation of ramps and exterior steps, replacing windows and doors, minor plumbing and electrical repairs, repair and installation of heating systems, minor roofing projects, and many requests for bathroom modifications to address mobility issues.
During the last year, Mesa to Mesa was able to assist a family of five living in Chimayo. Great-grandparents are raising three of their grandchildren under the age of six. The family was in need of a new heating system for the home. Mesa to Mesa was able to hire a licensed contractor to install a pellet stove for the family as well as providing them with enough pellets to get them through the winter.
Many of our seniors are on a fixed budget and live alone with no extra funds or the physical ability to make necessary home repairs. Mesa to Mesa fills a void in our community, and we still can only make a small dent because of the great need that is present.
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The Santa Fe Community Foundation invited its community partners to submit stories related to its August topic of New Mexico Rural Communities.
Santa Fe Indigenous Center
The Santa Fe Indigenous Center is a Native-led nonprofit serving Indigenous families across Santa Fe County. Through biweekly food drives, cultural events, community programs, emergency financial assistance, and a robust network of referral resources, SFIC supports the diverse needs of the local Indigenous community. Each year, the organization hosts its signature event — the Honoring Native Nations Powwow on Indigenous Peoples’ Day — bringing dancers, drummers, Tribal Dignitaries, artists, and community members together to celebrate Indigenous culture, joy, and resilience. This year’s powwow was a vibrant success, and SFIC looks forward to continuing this tradition in 2026.
Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian
Last year, the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian opened Carved Stories by Hopi artist Mavasta Honyouti. Featuring all sixteen low-relief carvings from the Coming Home series — created in tandem with Honyouti’s children’s book Coming Home: A Hopi Resistance Story — the exhibit recounts his grandfather Clyde Honyouti’s experience at an off-reservation federal boarding school. This Indigenous-led project offers a powerful and visually compelling reflection on Hopi life, culture, and history. As Brian Vallo notes, “Carved Stories… is both powerful and beautiful.”
Kha'p'o Community School
With support from the Native American Advised Fund, sixth-grade students at Kha’p’o Community School embarked on Our Voice, Our Stories — a year-long documentary project blending traditional Tewa arts and modern digital storytelling. Through pottery, weaving, sewing, and film, students explored their cultural identity and celebrated their voices as young Tewa people.
