Supporting Migrants at El Refugio: A Shelter of Hospitality in Guadalajara
Posted on 03/03/2026 @ 06:24 PM
A migrant shelter in Guadalajara is helping men, women, and families rebuild their lives in Mexico while serving more than 120 meals each day.
Every day in Guadalajara, men, women, and families arrive after long and difficult journeys. Many once planned to continue traveling north. But because of the current political climate and increasing barriers along migration routes, more migrants are now choosing to remain in Mexico.
At the migrant shelter supported by the Missionaries of the Eucharist, these individuals find something simple but powerful: a place where they are welcomed with dignity, safety, and a warm meal as they begin to rebuild their lives.
Services Provided at the Shelter
El Refugio provides a wide range of services to support migrants during a very vulnerable moment in their journey. These services include:
• Food assistance, providing an average of 120 meals each day. Many migrants arrive after days of travel with little food. For them, a warm meal at the shelter is often the first moment of relief in their journey.
• Medical care and alternative medicine services
• Clothing and hygiene kits
• Referrals to public health institutions
• Guidance and orientation regarding migrants’ legal status and immigration procedures in Mexico
These services help migrants recover physically and emotionally after long and difficult journeys.
When the Journey Changes
In recent months, the reality of migration has begun to change. Many migrants who once hoped to reach the United States are now deciding to remain in Mexico. Guadalajara has become one of the places where people are trying to begin again.
For some families, this means applying for refugee protection in Mexico. For others, it means searching for work, enrolling children in school, and learning how to navigate a new country.
Because of this shift, El Refugio is no longer only a place of temporary rest. It is increasingly becoming a place where people pause long enough to begin rebuilding their lives. The Missionary Sisters of the Eucharist accompany migrants during this difficult transition, offering not only food and shelter but also guidance, listening, and community.
The People Serving at the Shelter
Three Missionary Sisters of the Eucharist currently serve at El Refugio. Together, they work to meet the basic needs of the migrants who arrive each day.
However, the reality of the work calls for much more than providing basic necessities. Many migrants arrive carrying experiences of trauma, fear, and uncertainty. They need time to be listened to, supported, and accompanied during moments of deep vulnerability.
The shelter also receives children, women, and families who need special care, attention, and educational support.
The shelter team currently includes:
- A diocesan priest who serves as director
- Three lay collaborators
- Three Missionary Sisters of the Eucharist
Despite the dedication of this team, the workload continues to grow.
An Urgent Need: Hiring a Cook
Due to the daily demands of providing meals and care for migrants, the shelter urgently needs to hire a cook who can cover one shift.
The position would involve:
- An eight-hour shift
- Six days per week
In this region of Mexico, the estimated monthly salary for this position, including social security contributions, is $13,500 pesos.
The total cost for one year of employment would be $162,000 pesos.
A Call for Solidarity
Trusting in God’s providence, we ask for your support and solidarity in helping sustain this work.
Every contribution directly supports migrants who arrive at the shelter seeking safety, nourishment, and dignity during a very uncertain time in their lives.
Your support helps ensure that migrants arriving in Guadalajara find not only shelter, but also a community ready to walk with them as they begin again.
Your support can help provide more than 120 meals each day for migrants seeking safety and a new beginning in Guadalajara.
A warm meal, a safe place to rest, and a community that listens can make all the difference for someone beginning again in a new country.
Your support helps make this possible.
If you would like to support this mission, you can contribute here