Casa de Los Pobres — House of the Poor in Tijuana, Mexico

The name means “House of the Poor” in Spanish. The Casa was originally founded in 1957 by Franciscan Sisters in the Colonia Altamira neighborhood of Tijuana, Mexico.

Photo Collage from the Casa

For more than 65 years, Casa de los Pobres has served the “poorest of the poor” in Tijuana. These families live in nothing more than shacks — with cardboard walls that don’t keep out the cold or rain.  A blanket is each family’s prized possession, and tarps keep the children dry in rainy season.

In some areas, the roads become impassable with large ruts and mud, leaving the residents stranded without food for days.  The poor and destitute people that come to the Casa’s doors are sick, hungry, frightened, and cold — but also humble and hopeful.

Donate to the Casa de Los Pobres USA

DONATE MONTHLY RECURRING OR ONE-TIME GIFTeverything helps!

DONATE ONLINE: Please consider a donation of $25, $50, $75, $100 — or a monthly recurring donation (check the “recurring” box) — to provide food and medical care for Tijuana’s poor at Casa de Los Pobres. Please help us feed 1,000+ people each day! Unfortunately, we have been reduced to providing only one meal a day. For many adults and children, this may be their only food for the day. Can you help?

Pay via credit card or through your PayPal account. Children with backpacks(You can set up a recurring monthly donation through PayPal by clicking “Donate”.) Casa De Los Pobres, USA Tax ID #45-0514951

ADOPT A STUDENT with a monthly donation! Education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. Your monthly donation helps with school supplies and transportation.

DONATE BY CHECK:  Checks may be made payable to Casa de Los Pobres USA. Mail your donation to:  Casa de Los Pobres USA, P.O Box 9596, San Diego, CA 92169

DONATE GOODS: You may also donate Canned and Dried Food (unexpired), Blankets, Shoes, Backpacks, Socks, etc. See the complete list of items we can accept.

NEW DROP-OFF LOCATION:
St Brigid’s Parish Office, 4735 Cass Street, M-F 8am to 4:00pm. Please place donations in WHITE plastic bags with “CASA” on the bags.

QUESTIONS? Email us

Million Meals Packaging Event 2024

4 photos of Million Meals volunteers

In 2022 and 2023, over 3,000 volunteers packed a total of 2.5 million meals for the poor. 

We will be packing 1.5 million meals again this year and will need 4,000 volunteers!

LEARN MORE (Register to help or Donate to help pay for the food)

No one is ever turned away at the Casa. All are nourished, in body, mind, and spirit.

The Casa provides poor families with:

  • A hearty breakfast each morning — usually meat with beans and rice, oatmeal and milk, and always hot tortillas. For many parents and children, this may be their only meal of the day.
  • A bag of groceries once a week on “Bodega Day”
  • Clothes that have been donated to The Casa
  • Other home supplies (visitors to the Casa may need soap, toothpaste, shampoo, and other basic necessities)
  • General medical care
  • Education

The Casa is like a big community center for these people — because they have nowhere else.  Fr. Gil Gentile says Mass at the Casa every Thursday via Zoom. The Sisters and people pray for the donors of the Casa every day. If you have a prayer request, email us your intentions to be placed in the prayer basket in the Casa’s chapel.

Read the latest story from the Casa . . .