Sonora is in Northwest Mexico and is one of 31 states. It is located along the American Arizona border to the north, the state of Baja California to the west, Chihuahua to the east, and Sinaloa to the south. The closest major airport is 3 hours away by car in Hermosillo, Mexico.
Altar began as a small community, but has experienced a boom as a result of the migration through that area. Over the years, 90% of the local economy is in some way dependent upon the “migrant business.” Towns like Altar prospered as a result of business and income supplied by migrants. These people ceased to be seen as “brothers and sisters” but are now seen as a commodity to be moved from one place to the next.
Centro Comunitario de Atencion al Migrante y Necesitado (CCAMYN) was founded on May 7, 2000 as a community-based organization serving the most vulnerable persons in Altar, Sonora. They began as a bible group in Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish and have flourished into an organization which serves approximately 8,000 people annually. In the period between their founding and 2017 they have provided shelter, food, clothing, and assistance to over 64,000 persons.
The shelter can accommodate 40-70 people and serves two meals a day. They are staffed with 2 full time employees and more than two dozen dedicated volunteers.
