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Texas Border Business

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By Roberto Hugo González / Texas Border Business

McALLEN, Texas — Community leaders speaking at a luncheon honoring Sister Norma Pimentel focused on the collective effort behind humanitarian work in the Rio Grande Valley and the continued need for support.

Julieta Garcia, chair of the board for Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, said the organization’s work depends on community involvement. “Sister could not have done what she has done without the help of so many hundreds and thousands of people,” Garcia said, addressing attendees who have supported various efforts.

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Garcia described the work as essential and ongoing. “The work now is even more important than it’s ever been,” she said, urging continued participation from those present. She noted that donors and volunteers have contributed resources ranging from coats and medicine to communication systems, enabling the organization to respond to community needs.

She also reflected on the bigger impact of Pimentel’s recognition, stating that it represents “a moment of silence and awe that someone who grew up here in the Valley could have broken through so many personal barriers… not because of something that she had built, but because of the love that she has for people around her.”

In her remarks, Pimentel attributed the work to a collective community response rather than individual effort. “I cannot be who I am without you,” she said. “It is together.”

She recalled the early days of responding to migrants arriving in McAllen, explaining that the effort began without a defined plan. “I have no clue… but we’ll figure it out together,” she said, describing a call for volunteers and supplies that quickly mobilized the community.

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According to Pimentel, social networks and local support helped gather essential items within hours. “We need Pampers, we need milk, we need this, we need that,” she said, adding that “before you know it, that evening, we already had mountains of things coming to the center.”

Pimentel said the work’s guiding purpose was clear from the beginning. “Restoring human dignity, that’s what we’re doing,” she said, referring to the response to families arriving from the border.

Both speakers emphasized that the work continues and relies on sustained community engagement. Garcia told attendees, “We ask that you keep your doors open because she’ll be knocking on them again,” while Pimentel called on those present to remain involved in supporting vulnerable populations across the region.

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