Four weeks into the Lukeville border closure, it’s having a drastic economic impact on the Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point) area.
Edie Stevenson, who just moved back to Tucson from Rocky Point, is working with Rocky Point resident and business owner Ruben Cordova to raise money to help locals who can no longer work due to the border closure.
Stevenson raffled off her Rocky Point home for a few nights' stay and raised about $12,000. That money went to buying a bunch of food for Rocky Point residents.
“They need help. No one. No one else is helping the people of Peñasco,” Stevenson said.
While Stevenson is helping raise money while based in Tucson, Cordova is in Rocky Point gathering food and donating it to people.
“I thought this was going to impact me physically more than anything, but I think my biggest drain has been an emotional impact,” said Cordova.
Since the border closure, they’ve been able to donate upwards of 500 bags of food that include rice, flour, beans, toilet paper and more. The food goes to families who have been struggling without tourism. Some people were laid off, according to Cordova, while others had their hours cut because there weren’t as many tourists.
“When I see the pictures that Ruben's been sharing of people when he's donating and dropping off the bags of food, it's like the people have a bag of gold in their hands,” Stevenson said.
Cordova himself owns a massage business as well as a small tour company. He’s seen cancelation after cancelation because of the border situation. But, the two are continuing to help, raffling off stays in Rocky Point homes, gift cards for massages, artwork, restaurants and more.
They also started hiring some workers from the beach to help make “Peñasco Strong” bracelets, wanting to give locals a chance to work, make money, and then use the rest of the money to raise more money to buy food.
Rocky Point is still open; fewer people are heading that way because the easiest, safest way is closed.
Cordova also started doing caravans with other people from other parts of the border to ensure people get there safely.
“We're trying to prepare for the worst and trying to accommodate whatever we can. We’ve been trying,” Cordova said.
They hope the closure will end soon.
“It's long been known as Arizona's beach, and we embrace that community, and we're going to be here to help every day until the borders open,” Stevenson said.
A GoFundMe has been set up to continue helping people in Rocky Point. Anyone interested can also reach out to Edie Stevenson or Ruben Cordova on Facebook.
