Help Us Furnish A Cafeteria For At-Risk Girls And BoysSupport Us Today
Volunteer Trip
Our volunteer trip, originally scheduled for March 21, 2026, has been rescheduled to April 11, 2026, due to the recent passing of Father Kelly’s mother and his travel for the funeral arrangements.
We would be honored for you to join us at Nazareth Orphanage on the new date.
WHO WE ARE
Empowering Children with a Safe Place to Grow, Dream & Belong
Outreach For Nazareth Orphanage (OFNO) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the children and families served by Nazareth Orphanage in Tecate, Mexico. Through fundraising, volunteer efforts, partnerships, and community support, OFNO helps the Sisters of the Sacred Heart and of the Poor provide the children with a safe home environment and the resources they need to thrive.
At the heart of our work is a simple belief:
PULL UP A CHAIR CAMPAIGN
$72,000 of $72,000 raised
Every Child Matters. Every Family Matters. Every Future Matters.
Wherever possible, Nazareth Orphanage also works to keep siblings together and strengthen family connections – because a child’s sense of belonging can be just as important as the physical space they call home.
Join us for our next Trip
on November 7, 2026
THE NEED
For Children in Need & at Risk, Safety Cannot Wait
Children at Nazareth Orphanage come from circumstances marked by poverty, loss, and vulnerability. The Sisters of the Sacred Heart and of the Poor work every day to provide them with a safe home, education, nourishment, care, and the opportunity to build a better future.
But the need extends beyond today.
Many of the original buildings at Nazareth Orphanage have faithfully served the children for more than six decades. As the campus ages, the opportunity – and responsibility – is to create spaces that can serve children safely for generations to come.
The numbers tell part of the story.
1 in 4
Homeless children in Mexico are orphaned
1.5 Million+
Orphaned children rely on the goodwill of others
9 out of 10
Human trafficking victims are never rescued
Mexico is an origin, transit and destination country for trafficking victims. Investigations have risen by one third in the last few years, but the country is still facing trouble tackling this problem. With OFNO, all of us can do our part to save one child at a time.
Donate 50 Beds for 50 Girls at Nazareth Orphanage.
Give Your Support Today!
Exciting news! The new girls’ dormitory is under construction! This phase of the initiative is well underway! But we still need your help.
OUR IMPACT
More Than $1.3 Million Raised, Countless Lives Changed
More than $1.3 million in support has helped transform the Nazareth Orphanage campus into a safer, stronger, and more hopeful home for the children who live there. Together, our beloved supporters have already helped make major improvements possible. These are more than buildings. They are places where children can sleep safely, share a meal, spend time together, and experience the everyday moments that make a place feel like home.
Completion of the New Girl's Dormitory
Santa Teresita del Nino Jesus
After nearly a year of construction, Santa Teresita del Nino Jesus, the new girl’s dormitory, has been completed. Furnished with 50 beds, closets, and other amenities, this new building can now be called a home and a sanctuary. You can view the progress, volunteer efforts, and celebration for this new building below. Thank you to all who continue to give time, money, and talents to OFNO to ensure this and future projects’ completion!
Completion of the New Cafeteria
San José Comedor
Every meal shared at Nazareth Orphanage will now be served in a space built with hope, generosity, and love. The newly completed San José Comedor, dedicated in memory of Vercie Carmon Johnson, will give the children a beautiful place to gather as a family and create memories that will last a lifetime. This milestone is only possible because of compassionate supporters like you. Thank you for helping create a place where every child feels they belong!
THE NEXT CHAPTER
Now, We Are Building for Generations to Come
The newly constructed cafeteria joins the girls’ dormitory as another promise fulfilled. And now, a new chapter begins. The next phase of campus improvements will help create safe, lasting spaces where every child can grow, learn, dream, and discover a brighter future. Our vision includes:
An Arts & Education Center
A space where children can explore creativity, learning, and personal development.
A New Boys' Dormitory
A safe, welcoming home designed to meet the needs of the boys at Nazareth.
A Chapel for the Children
A dedicated space for faith, reflection, and community.
A Convent for the Sisters
A safe and suitable living space for the Sisters who dedicate their lives to caring for the children.
A Safer Campus for Generations to Come
Continued improvements to the campus infrastructure will help ensure Nazareth remains a safe and nurturing home well into the future.
Someone Decides a Child They Have Never Met Is Worth Believing In.
Every new chapter begins the same way: someone chooses to care.
Will you help us write the next chapter at Nazareth Orphanage?
HOW YOU CAN HELP
There’s More Than One Way to Make a Difference
A stronger future for Nazareth begins with people willing to help build it. Whether you give your time, talents, resources, or connections, your support helps OFNO continue creating meaningful improvements for the children and the campus they call home.
GIVE
Your donation helps fund the facilities, resources, and improvements needed to create a safer, stronger campus. Every dollar counts!
VOLUNTEER
Join OFNO volunteers on trips to Nazareth Orphanage to work alongside the Sisters and children on projects to help improve the campus.
PARTNER
A strategic partnership can help us at OFNO move major projects forward and build a lasting future for Nazareth Orphanage.
SPREAD THE WORD
Sometimes, making a difference starts with sharing the story. Help more people discover the work happening at Nazareth Orphanage!
THE PEOPLE BEHIND
It Takes a Family to Build a Future
From the Sisters who care for the children every day to the volunteers who give their Saturdays, the donors who give what they can, and the partners who help turn plans into reality, OFNO is powered by people who choose to show up. Meet Father Brian F. Kelly, Spiritual Moderator, and members of the OFNO family who continue to support Nazareth Orphanage and the children who call it home.
Watch Video
GroundBreaking Ceremony at Nazareth Orphanage in Tecate.
Timeline of Events
9am - Noon:
Arrive at the orphanage, where everyone is setting up tables, chairs, and a beautiful altar where Mass will be held. The kids are getting dressed in their best attire, and completing their morning chores of cleaning, getting ready and making their beds.Â
Noon:
The Archbishop of Tijuana arrives, and the kids are ecstatic. They surround him and each one goes up to say hi. Father Kelly arrives in robes, alongside 2 other church leaders.Â
We all follow them to the altar and pews, where Catholic Mass begins. It starts off with the kids singing a few songs they’ve been practicing.Â
Then the Archbishop starts. He breaks bread, and many members of the audience get up to go accept bread and to bow before the altar.Â
Between 1pm - 2pm:
After, the kids grab their parade sticks and we all parade over to the construction site where the dormitory is to be built. Tractors are already plowing the field and clearing the way. The Archbishop stands in front of the architectural plans and plaque marking the area, and begins his prayer, occasionally splashing us around him, the plaques, plans, and the ground with Holy Water to bless it.
The kids sing one more song, then there’s a quick moment where the board members, head Nun, and Father Kelly stand for pictures.Â
Between 2pm - 4pm:
Lunch is served by the Knights of Santa Sophia church, a group that regularly travels to the orphanage to feed the kids and volunteers at work. The kids grab their bikes, music plays, and members can be seen dancing with the kids and each other. There are a few photos/a video of this, and one member can be seen dancing with a child of the orphanage, twirling her around.
Volunteer with OFNO and Experience
COMPASSION IN MOTION
Four Saturdays during the school year, OFNO volunteers travel to Nazareth Orphanage in Tecate, Mexico to participate in a day of volunteering alongside the children and Sisters. The daylong trips begin early in the morning, and volunteers return to San Diego that same day. Volunteers help with maintenance projects such as gardening or painting the facilities. We are so grateful to those that assist, and no experience is necessary. Help us make a difference!
Our upcoming volunteer trips are scheduled for November 7, 2026, January 9, 2027 and March 23, 2027. (Note: Trips may be rescheduled or canceled due to unforeseen circumstances. Please check our website for updates.)
Please keep checking the Website to sign up for your favorite project on our next trip
Join us for our next Trip on November 7, 2026*
(*may be subject to change)
These children come from poverty and loss.
This is the difference you make in their lives.
Thank you for your generous donations to Nazareth Orphanage.
We are incredibly grateful for your contribution; you truly make a difference for us!
The girls’ dormitory happened because people believed it could.
The cafeteria happened because people believed it mattered.
Now, we are asking you to believe in what comes next.
Will you help us build a safer, more secure campus for generations to come?