life

I have the best Mom

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As a charity trying hard to help low-income homeowners with minor home repair. It is important to help you understand why we do what we do, who we try to help first and why we need help from the general public to do more. Today we are being called upon to provide more help than just with the repair of a leaky faucet or to secure windows and doors. Today we are being asked for help with food and Utilites.

For those of you who are kind enough to follow my posts you know that I tell stories to ultimately earn a small donation of support for what we do at HPLA Charities. Officially we are registered with the Federal Government and the state of Kansas as Habitaciones Para Latinos Association a 501c3 non-profit. That is an awful lot to write on a check, so our bank has accepted HPLA Charities as a verifiable name to deposit to our account. Our website donate page has a link connected to PayPal for donations which in turn sends donations electronically to Community America Credit Union in Kansas City where our account is located.

As a kid growing up in Texas, I remember times of jubilation and times of hardship. I am the third generation as native-born American Citizens. But, without going into the story of my grandparents on both sides of family just know they were hard working folks who lived paycheck to paycheck and always found second & third revenue streams to pay the bills. My story today centers on my mother. She was the best mom I ever had, and I feel she could easily complete with any women as the best mom in the world. (I hope each of you can tell your mother how much she means to you). For me I tried to tell her and to show her how much she meant to me. She got called to heaven on January 15, 2006. She would have celebrated her 108th birthday on August 14, of this year. I want to tell each of you my readers why it is that I now do what I do.

I had a great life for my time. I was the 7th of 9 kids and was the youngest for nearly 10 years. I was spoiled and never had to help pick cotton for extra money like my older siblings. The year was 1950 and the war had long been over. The support of the war machine of the second world war had come to an end and dad was no longer needed at the Naval base in Corpus Christi, Texas. Dad worked there as a contractor in the motor pool. His brother Uncle Vicente returned from three years away from home while in the Army in Germany, Aunt Lilly kept their fires burning in his absence. Dad was in the middle of two brothers from a second family of Grandma Maria Trevino Flores. Grandma had been married originally to a Flores who pasted. They had four children together. When Grandma married again it just so happened it was to another Flores. No need to change names with the DMV. In those days that would have been handled by the Texas Department of Transportaion.

Previously Dads older brother Joe from the second marriage had made his way to San Antonio, Texas and established a welding shop as well as did car repairs. It would make for a great partnership for Uncle Joe and Dad to work together. Mom & Dad sold the only house my parents ever owned and moved to San Antionio. To have time to look for housing for seven kids and two adults was hard so we moved in with Uncle Joe. He had three kids but a relatively large home. Needless to say, some friction was inevitable. Since Uncle Joe and Aunt Lola were supporting us for a few days the grocery bill got out of hand quickly and the living accommodations got cramped. Within a few weeks we were asked to leave and had not found a place to live as of yet. Plan A was to live in the welding shop for a while. So, we did. At the end of the day all the cars in for repair were towed out and cardboard boxes cut to serve as a flooring. Fortunately, a very successful couple of color had just build a new two-bedroom house to rent and was next door to them. The had a dog named fluffy and Mom helped her with domestic duties as well as hair styles. They were one street over from Uncle Joe so Joe and Dad could commute but Dad like to go have a beer after work and so he took the family car every day. It wasn’t like Mom could drive anyway. The downside is much like today there was not enough money to pay all the bills. We were able to stay with Mr. & Mrs. Mercy for quite a while but by January 1952 we moved to another house, and it is there where I started grade school. It was not far from the welding shop but in another school than the one I would spend most of time attending. We had been in town a couple of years and this neighborhood was upscale, so it was very comfortable.

Fast forward to 1958 and four more moves later I was ready to start 6th grade. From depression or alcoholism and the birth of child number eight two years prior, Dad lost his life. Apparently, a fight broke out or there was a disturbance, or Dad had a bad dream or depression. Whatever, but just up the ally from our house Dad was found face down and declared dead from stab wounds. The coroner suggested self-inflicted wounds. We never have agreed that that is what happened but for the local police it was just another poor latino. Brother Sam, Sister Elli and Sister Beatrice had all been married by then. It was five of us at home. Brother Bull was two years old. Needless to say, we lost Dad’s income and because he owed his boss money they confiscated most of his tools. At eleven my brother Vince 2 1/2 years my senior had already found a job and soon after I got one too. He and I, at the advice of my mother got shovels and covered the blood stains left from the crime scene with dirt. Big Brother Leonard stepped up as the patriarch and kept us together.

Uncle Joe hired me for a few weeks at a dollar a day to watch the shop as he ran for parts or to bring a car to fix. Fortunately, Brother Sam got me on at the grocery store he was hired to manage. He was a phenomenal artist and painted the windows of the grocery store with the weekly specials. He, like most of my family were workaholics. I started at $12.50 for the week. Downside was I worked 60 hours a week compared to Uncle Joes job of 40 hours a week. I was still happy and blessed. I remember the grocery store owners taking pennies in Social Security deductions off the $12.50 work week paycheck.

It was Social Security that saved our existence as intime mom got a social security check for her and a second check for us kids. Uncle Vince gave us a loan and Uncle Joe provided reworked toys and tricycles for us kids. None of us older siblings stopped working and have not stopped since. We were able to stay in that same house for many years as a result and it was 1964 after having spent a few months is low-income housing that Brother Sam got us into a home he owned after he divorced. I left to the Air Force from there as did brother Vince. It was the Vietnam Conflict in full swing. But I would like to reflect on what Mother went through and what she did to keep us all thriving and surviving through all the heart ache and tragedy. While we worked to supplement the Social Secuity check Brother Leonard my oldest Brother got married and left home as did Sister Bertha. We were down to three, but dad was gracious enough to bless us with David Lee who was born just short of nine months since Dad’s death. Mom, Brother Vince, Raul, David Lee and I provided for one and other. Brother Vince graduated high School and joined the Air Force. In 1964 I followed him, and Brother Leonard was still connected to the Air national guard but married and with child. He was good to help us as was all of my siblings.

Mom was home with Raul (Bull) and David Lee. They were 8 and 5 years old. I think Dave was going on six years old. Vince and I sent money home while deployed and mother took in laundry and ironing until the youngsters got into school. Brother Sam helped a lot as did all the other of my siblings as I mentioned. It was not long that mother got a job as a cafeteria worker and managed to get close to a GED. She managed to raise the two youngest until they graduated high school and left home. She retired with honors from the San Antonio school district as a cafeteria server from the same high school as David and Raul graduated.

All nine of us kids have had successful careers good marriages and have always supported Mom in any way we could. Mom was a great inspiration to us and loved to party and dance. She would dress the house up for all the annual calibrations and always had food and drink if anyone stopped by unexpectedly. My cousin Texas Sentor Carlos Truan would go out of his way to have a sleep over when he was in San Antionio. Serving as Governor for a day he was sure to have mom by his side as he celebrated in the Governor’s Mansion in Austin, Texas. Every opportunity the family had to entertain and support Mother they did as she had ensured our survival and mourned Dad’s death all of her life. She never re-marreid or even had a guy-friend. She was faithful to our God and more importantly to her children. Aside Senator Carlos Truan’s sister Nena frequently invited Mom to California and included a trip to Las Vegas. Nena was quoted as saying “Estella is my lucky charm”

Today and for the last 10 years I have managed the charity Habitaciones Para Latinos Association. I have seen and worked hard to help families who are struggling with tragedy and hard times as we did. Once a family on welfare shared powdered eggs, they qualified to receive, with us. That was a gift from God for us at the time. We have helped keep families in their home and recently fulfilled a promise that we would do all we could to keep a beautiful sole, in Burnice Clarke of KCK, in her home so she would never have to go to a nursing home as a ward of the state. She passed happy and in the care of hospice for just a few days away from home. She was 90 years old. Over the years we have helped many widows and families stay in their homes. All of these folks’ greatest prayer was to die at home. It benefits us a taxpayers to keep these low-income folks out of the nursing homes

The demand is greater today, not just for home repair but for help with utilites and food. We recently bought propane for a family that can only use propane for cooking and heating of hot water. We have built a wheelchair ramp for a disabled lady who has fallen several times due to no rails out of her front door of her home. That is true of another women in Wichita who just needed a handrail and a ceiling fan installed to stay cool. We also recently sent money to a family to help with school supplies and another to buy special diet foods not available at the local food pantry. While going back to the struggles my mother and family went through; the bottom line is we had the skills and the good health to work our way through it. My Mother was up early and went to bed late, although very tired, but blessed with the good health to do that. Oh yes, heart desease and diabetis runs wild in our family as does other aliments but thank God there are charities available today to help that were not available back then. It is because times are so much better today and our ability to help others who don’t have the good health that my family had that more folks are self-sufficient. The support that we give is why, with your help, we can keep folks safe and, in their homes, instead of in a hospital, nursing home or under short or long-term hospice care. The needs are much greater and folks’ ability to help themselves is diminished. I pray for your support and thank those who send us their support every month.

Happy Birthday to Mom, Mrs. Estella Lopez Flores (August 14, 2025). The greatest Mother I could ever have. It is because of your generosity and love for others Mom that I try to perpetuate your legacy. I love you, Mom. RIP

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When it looks like a duck, It’s probably a duck.

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If this is your first time reading this post, I encourage you to check out others as well.  My motive is to gain followers and earn contributions for my charity. Our mission is simple and our motive noticeably clear. As a charity we need your support for HPLA (Habitaciones Para Latinos Association) and we need volunteers to help accomplish our mission. What we do not need or do not have is a paid staff. I try to make it noticeably clear that we are not about creating paying jobs but instead helping folks with other folks who want to help their community. It is important to have money to buy the building supplies and equipment necessary to do the things needed to help but that is it. If you cannot help in person, your support still matters.   Donate at http://www.hplacharities.org/donate. Visit the same site for our history.

If you follow my posts, you will note that I get into what is happening in our politics. I talk about local state and national stuff. With that in mind the global scene must enter in. I have observed, and continue to receive confirmation, that individuals perceive the countries president as increasingly adopting a more authoritarian role. I look to the internet to seek other folks’ opinion who think like, I think. There is evidence available that addresses and potentially disproves these claims.  From my charitable mind I see a movement dismissing the need to care for the poor from our country. I’ve noticed some states are cutting aid to low-income people.   For the sake of conversation, I need to define my idea of who I define as poor. http://www.huduser.gov is a good place to start categorizing wealth. Please do not hesitate to review that document in detail. But let us make one thing truly clear. There is abuse in everything you can think of. I googled “Is there anything that doesn’t have abuse involved?” One response that surprised me is “Basic Needs (when freely available) (I.e. access to clean water, clean air, and fundamental human rights, when freely accessible and not subject to control or manipulation, could be argued as things that are not inherently abused. However, the denial of these things to others often occurs due to power imbalances and is a form of abuse or injustice. At HPLA, we encounter discrimination in public services run by government employees. Getting potable water is not free and if someone cannot pay for it someone else will have to. Is it abusive for a water company to turn off water to someone that cannot afford to pay for it? Is shutting off gas or electricity due to nonpayment considered abusive? There should be a compromise. Essential resources are controlled by certain entities and are usually obtained through exchange. So far clean air is free. Pure CO2 is not. Air is abundant for some but scarce for others. Is that abuse, I think so, yes. Try living with COPD and acquire CO2 that you cannot get since essential resources are controlled by specific entities, and everything requires an exchange. Is the problem your own mismanagement?

Our freedoms in this country are shrinking and becoming very costly. A story for another time is what is freedom to you? For the clients we serve the freedom to live requires basic physiological needs that are no longer free. Grandpa dug a well to get free water. Built a tent to stay out of the weather. Lived off the land if they were allowed. Think of our Native American tribes who were self-sufficient until they were abused. But to cut to the chase the minimum requirement for our help is our client must fall below the HUD established low-income level for poverty and all whom we serve are below that level or worse. You have seen what it is to be without the bare basics in the news reels of war-torn Ukraine or Gaza. Thank GOD we are not facing that, but we are getting close when you hear and read about the victims of the recent floods and fires. HLA is being asked for food and utility support. For us that is an easy repair. It is just money and stuff. The food pantries are plentiful in our areas of support and money to help with utilities available. We are grateful for those who contribute to HPLA monthly because we can provide help with these needs. Is the request greater than the resources, yes? But every little bit of help from you and together we can answer the call. Thank you. So recently we are seeing trends that resemble the trends of Hitlers Germany. I have worked hard to understand the reasons Germany allowed Hitler to raise to power and the cultures that were targeted in those days. Folks, if you don’t see the trend happening in America than you are blind. Truthfully, you are either OK with it or do not understand the devastation that is going to come from it. It is discrimination period. I have a family we have been helping for years, and they have done everything to stay within the law to become US citizens. One child was born to them already other dreamers they brought with them from Central America. They continue to get permission to stay legally by staying in contact with immigration but their hurtle is to come up with 10 thousand dollars for a lawyer to help them get to citizenship for all the family. Is that a little abusive? Yes, it most certainly is and after years of working and adding to profit of the folks they work for, they could easily be deported and all they have worked so hard for lost. All the saving they have gathered for legal help are gone. Why certain cultures are being targeted while others are overlooked is discrimination and abuse of power. That power being abused by a system that is trying to eliminate illegal activities, with abuse of the law. What is the difference between the government breaking the law and an individual within our borders? For the benefit of our country? That is the big question but no, I believe it is for one supposedly superior race and although one culture is being isolated now another will be included later and then another. The poor that HPLA tries to help are already in the sites of a dictator regime. If it looks like a duck, quakes like a duck and flies like a duck it is a duck. We are under a dictator. Those that can stop it are expendable, and they know it. We still have one chance and that is to be sure our vote is honored. Otherwise, democracy is dead and so are the weakest links. Help us sustain all who we can, while we can. http://www.hplacharites.org/donate.

Where are you?

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The macro view of what is happing in the world is so vast and difficult to see that taking just one view is not good. I can’t understand the global view which includes Russia vs Ukraine or Israel vs Iran/Palestine but locally our politics are also so diverse that to choose sides is suicide. I am prolife and there is no debate for me. To drill down and decide what that means is very diverse. While I support prolife, I am of the mind that it is a decision that should be made by a prospective mother and her doctor, in the case of abortion. The decision of yes verses no is not mine to make. It should always be between mother, doctor and GOD. There are so many issues to consider and saving baby verses mom or viceversa should not be made by the general public. This is just one issue that requires lots of thought but should not be politicized. Where are you?

The political umbrella covers a country’s behaver but should be held sacred. Within the law, things all things sacred are between you and GOD. While I might plan to abort an unwanted pregnancy that is a personal decision between me and God alone. Not for you to know about unless I am asking you for money to pay for my decision. If you have no skin in the game, then go about your business. However, if I need financial support to carry out my decision than you defiantly have a say. But that is to say ” I will help, or no I will not” end of story. If you want to yell out and say, “this is happening”, and I don’t agree than that’s called your freedom of speech and I am OK with that. If you have not loss any financial resources than it is just an internal moral or religious belief you want to voice. That is your right. But not for you to decide what I do. When life begins and when no life exist is measured by opinion. To pull the plug on a brain-dead elder is up to family not you. It may be mercy killing but still murder. No difference with an unborn child but not your call. Where are you?

We are currently seeing the poorest of the poor yelling for help. There are thousands and sadly they do not know what they don’t know. Help is out there but they must understand where that help is. The basic map for survival is reliance on yourself. Secondly is communication. Let folks know you are willing to do anything necessary to survive but need help. Offering sexual pleasure can be a means of revenue and although immoral, illegal and despicable it has become necessary for some. The point here is to look at what is necessary to survive and how desperate one is to survive. What would you do to keep a family from eating out of a dumpster? What would you do to help a young woman who got pregnant out of blind love, lust or ignorance and got no help from the man? As a caring individual you would do all you can to help without jeopardizing your own better welfare. I strongly believe that there are millions who would do whatever is necessary to help. We do it by collectively by establishing laws we demand our politicians to help establish and for the government to manage. i.e. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid & SNAP. Has the cost to provide these services gotten totally out of control? Defiantly! Has corruption taken away from folks desperate for help, yes. There is so much oversight necessary to ensure help is funneled to those applying for help that the vetting process has gotten too lengthy and life has been lost in the process. So, until as a nation we establish rules to help everyone needing help and a vetting system that catches corruption it will fall on individuals like you, who care, to pick up the slack. I won’t get into the millions of Americans who just don’t care. There are millions and our elected officials are among them. The Bible suggests that the poor will always be among you. That may be but should not be in the United States, not even in North America.

For those of you who follow my post you know that HPLA Charities was established to help those overlooked by many of us. It is disappointing to see that number growing while billions of dollars go to test a rocket. In March of 2016 our volunteers were plentiful and resources readily available. While the strength of the economy has had its ups and downs things are relatively stable. The downside is folks have been turned off and gotten an attitude that is sad to see in America. They just don’t care. There may be ligament reasons to have this attitude. I don’t see it. The mission of HPLA has not changed and the work to help the poor is increasing. We will not stop trying to help nor will we stop asking for you to contribute. We don’t pay staff, period. Every dollar you give goes to help folks in need. It is infuriating to see national organizations turn folks down because a project fund has been exhausted and yet payrolls for leaders are never exhausted. It is a shame that buckets full of funds in other areas are not transferred so all funds are exhausted equally. HPLA helps ensure those calling us are not begging for food and water, but many times it is that bad. Too many times. Our volunteers have taken out of their own pockets many times, such that they are themselves are in need. It appears those that need the most give the most proportionately. If you have one dollar left over at the end of every month and especially at the end of every year you are wealthier than many. If you have hundreds left over and saving accounts and investment funds your rich. All I ask of you is five or ten dollars every month. Every dollar received monthly is matched. You first and the needy second. Where are you?

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