Hunger does not discriminate. Access to life-saving resources and safety is not guaranteed, and disparities don’t ask for permission. They settle quietly into homes, draining energy and hope, making daily needs difficult to meet, and leaving families in crisis.
But just up a dirt road from a struggling community in Mazatlán, Mexico, there is a safe space where doors are always open. Inside, safe, trauma-informed adults push back against hunger, inequality, and hopelessness – one meal and intentional conversation at a time.
Wendy Acevedo, a Back2Back staff member, noticed a troubling gap. At Rancho de los Niños Children’s Home, where she has long cared for children and young adults with disabilities, she realized that families from nearby communities rarely visited.
“We didn’t really have a connection with nearby families,” Wendy explained. I wanted to learn more about their needs, and to show them they weren’t alone.”
In February 2024, Wendy and other Back2Back staff opened a soup kitchen as part of the 12 Stones Resource Center. Every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., families gather for a fresh breakfast and a variety of activity stations nurturing children spiritually, physically, educationally, emotionally, and socially. The first Saturday of each month is dedicated to families as a whole, often with special events like swimming parties or soccer matches.
Today, the soup kitchen serves about 70 children consistently, creating a net of safety for entire family units. Families know they can ask Back2Back staff for help and will be treated with dignity and compassion.
“This has become a way for us to connect with the families and assess whether they would be a good fit for our Strong Families program,” shared Wendy. “Everyone who comes on Saturdays receives care and food, but we’re also able to listen to their needs and point them toward resources that can make a lasting difference.”
One family, with two boys, ages 11 and 9, has attended since the very beginning. When the staff first met them, neither child had ever been to school; they were unable to say their full name or ages. Through patient investment and intentional care, Back2Back helped the boys enroll in school for the first time. Their parents are now part of the Strong Families program, receiving coaching, classes, and training from trauma-informed staff.
The neighborhoods the families call home are disrupted by difficulties, but Back2Back and advocates like you are helping create a different reality. Children learn they can play and laugh safely, and parents discover community and belonging. Many mothers now volunteer on Saturdays, preparing food for other families, all pointing to the growing trust being built.
“We have seen so much growth,” Wendy reflected. “The kids are engaging more easily with peers, and the moms are building friendships and support systems.”
As the soup kitchen grows, staff are prayerfully considering how to extend services to youth ages 12 and older, another group vulnerable to the dangers of their community.
“While the neighborhood may struggle, the families don’t have to,” said Wendy. “We want them to understand they deserve quality services and resources.” Just steps away from 12 Stones Resource Center, children are learning what safety feels like, parents are experiencing advocacy and support, and together, hope is rising.
Hunger may not discriminate, but neither does hope.
Every Saturday in Mazatlán, as children laugh and share a meal, belonging replaces despair. Families are rediscovering what safety feels like — and you are part of that story.
With your support, Wendy and her team can open the doors to even more youth, creating a ripple of change that begins with one plate, one conversation, one family at a time.
