Española Pathways Shelter CEO Cristian Madrid speaks to Rotarians as shelter co-founder Ralph Martinez and local volunteer Maire O’Neill look on Tuesday in the community room at the golf course. Photo by Linda Hull

By LINDA HULL
Vice President
Rotary Club of Los Alamos

“The community has been so generous,” reflected Cristian Madrid, Chief Executive Officer of the Española Pathways Shelter (EPS), speaking Tuesday to the Rotary Club of Los Alamos. “Pathways is the city’s only shelter for homeless people.”

Co-founded in 2019 by Madrid, Roger Montoya, then artistic director of Moving Arts Española and now State Representative for District 40, and Ralph Martinez, who also spoke to Rotarians, EPS has now expanded its outreach by opening Eagle Village, a transitional shelter in a renovated motel on Riverside Drive in Española. It will serve homeless clients who need longer term housing than a regular shelter arrangement can provide. Eagle Village opened its doors in May 2021.

Without revealing names, Madrid and Martinez shared some of the residents’ poignant stories that ended with impressive, hopeful outcomes. In fact, Eagle Village has a success rate of 85 percent, meaning 85 percent of those residents in transitional housing have been able to find jobs and move into their own housing.

Community members interested in volunteering or making donations of food and clothing will find information about EPS at https://www.espanolapathwaysshelter.org or call Madrid at 505.753.4453 or local volunteer Maire O’Neill at 505.412.8739.