Proud to be bringing hope and healing to Silver City.
Meet our team.
Read on about our people — what they do at the mission, their favorite things in life, and their most treasured verses out of holy scripture.
We are a motley crew of dreamers and doers who love God and who embrace our mission of helping the people He sends us. Drop in, say hi to one of our staff, and share in a meal. Consider us your family: here with us, you will always be home.
Staff
Vincent Laupola | Manager
As the face of the mission in our community, I do a lot of everything — overseeing food distribution and our soup kitchen, greeting the people who come in our doors, connecting with our donors and supporters, and staying on top of our paperwork and financials. You may even occasionally see me behind the kitchen counter serving food or doing dishes. I view my job as a practice of servanthood, and when I’m not here I love being with my family and hiking or enjoying time in nature. ✞
“For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, you shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor in your land.” — Deuteronomy 15:11
“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” — Deuteronomy 31:8
“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” — Matthew 5:16
Daniel Flores | Thrift Store Assistant
My work in the thrift store — sorting donations, distributing food, running the register, and talking to our clients — you could say I approach all of it in the spirit of personal ministry. I enter every day as an opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. He the only one who saves.
“Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.” — Philippians 4:5
Whenever God gives me a task that feels heavy, such as evangelizing, I don’t have to be anxious about doing it alone because I am cooperating with God’s action in me. That’s a certified promise from God. He is literally at hand. He equips you for the very task He calls you to do. If you stretch out your hand as far as possible, Jesus is never farther than that. Your burdens are within arm’s length to give to Him. You may not physically feel Him, but the promise remains: the Lord is always with us. ✞
Cassandra Allen | Thrift Store Manager
I came to the mission seven years ago as a client. At the time, my life was a roller coaster of addiction and a fight for survival. Christ led me home to this community whose radical love and support have changed my life. Today, I live on site in the Sierra House and have been managing our thrift store for two years, and I am devoted deeply to this work because I love God and can see Him in the faces of those who come to us for the same help I was able to receive years ago as a young woman who was struggling. My life is devoted to our people and my four children (three daughters and a son) and my little grandson. I work with the hope that everyone can see and taste and know the power of Christ's saving grace.
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.” — Lamentations 3:22-23 ✞
Hannah Lee Jones | Development Manager
I am a poet and writer and I work with our board and staff to bring in the resources to keep our ship running, our staff paid, and our clients fed and cared for. This work is close to my heart: my father is a minister to the homeless on the streets of San Francisco, and I’ve run projects funding college education for youth in western Kenya. Four years of nomadic travel taught me the gift of being poor in spirit. Now I’m blessed to volunteer with the mission’s peer counseling program, supporting our guests on the path to addiction recovery.
My greatest reward in this work is the wisdom in the stories of our clients. Many of them have lived through hell on earth and are still here with God’s grace, walking each other home. ✞
“We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed — always carrying about the dying of our Lord Jesus, that the life of our Christ may be manifested in our bodies.” — II Corinthians 4:8-10
Dave Murray | Maintenance Assistant
The Mission and I go a ways back: I used to volunteer in the kitchen and at morning markets for about eight years before joining our staff. Now I mostly work on our mobile pantry program, getting food out to needy families in our community. I never imagined this would be my life, but the grace of God brought me to New Mexico. In my free time I enjoy learning history, hiking, fishing, treasure hunting with my metal detector. ✞
“Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.” — Matthew 12:18
Dan King | Kitchen Manager
I love serving God and believe that even the simple act of preparing a meal can be a way to share His good news with the world. As a cook I try to bring creativity, care, and compassion into every dish I make, with the hope of nourishing both body and soul for anyone who comes to the Mission. At home I work on my car and continue learning my faith. My prayer is that every person who comes through our doors feels welcomed, valued, and cared for. ✞
“But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.” — Isaiah 43:1
Matthew Garcia | Kitchen Assistant
Before joining the kitchen team, I spent a couple of years as a client at the soup kitchen myself. Being given the opportunity to work here has meant a lot to me, and one of the things that matters most to me now is giving back to others in the same spirit of kindness and support that was shown to me. I help Dan with whatever is needed and try to serve each person with respect and compassion. My faith reminds me that the Lord made the ultimate sacrifice for us. Outside of work, I like working on my bike, hiking, camping, and spending time with my two kids.
“And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, ‘If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.’
But the other answering rebuked him, saying, ‘Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.’ And he said unto Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.’
And Jesus said unto him, ‘Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.’ ” — Luke 23:39–43
