Generosity Abounds in Paradise
Special to Welcome Home Winter Texan
The annual Paradise Resort Estates Community Outreach Spaghetti Dinner and Charity Auction was held Friday, February 20. Paradise Resort Estates is located at 301 E Hall Acres Road in Pharr. This event is the major fundraiser of the season here in Paradise, although our two other fundraisers are also very popular.
The annual Teddy Bear Tea in January collects teddy bears that are donated to the Pharr Police Department, who share them through the various local emergency response services. The teddy bears are then given to young victims in traumatic situations.
The upcoming annual Poker Run in March raises funds that are then donated to Guzman Elementary School, which operates primarily for migrant workers’ children. During the year, school uniforms and school supplies are also collected and donated to this school.
The Paradise Community Outreach group has many subcommittees and meets as a whole once a month to coordinate these groups. We have volunteers who attend the Family Ministries near downtown Pharr every Wednesday to assist with their food bank and outreach program. We collect glasses that are donated to the Lions Recycle for Sight program, toiletries that are donated to various charities, as needed, and pop tabs for Ronald McDonald House Charities in Edinburg to fund family support programs. A new medical equipment shed was built last year and is maintained by Outreach volunteers. Items such as wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, and shower chairs are held for any resident to use during a medical emergency. Neighbors Helping Neighbors is a committee that offers assistance to residents during short-term emergency situations. Regular trips to ropa usadas are held for Outreach members to collect clothing that our various charities indicate they have a need for. Members purchase these items, launder them, and donate them where needed. Shoes for Kids is an ongoing project; new and gently used shoes are purchased to donate to our charities.
This year, the charities that were chosen to receive proceeds from the Spaghetti Dinner and Charity Auction were the Paradise Linus Project, St Vincent de Paul, Comfort House, and Family Ministries. The Linus Project involves many park residents donating materials and time to create quilts of various sizes to donate to area service organizations, veterans and nursing homes, schools, and hospitals. Several residents donate their time to assist at the soup kitchen of St Vincent de Paul and collect items for its thrift shop. The Comfort House is a nonprofit organization and one of only two organizations south of San Antonio that provides end-of-life services and 24-hour care at no charge as it is funded solely by individual donations and grants. Family Ministries is a nonprofit organization that the residents of Paradise have donated to or volunteered at for many years.
This year’s event once again highlighted the generosity of the residents in Paradise Resort Estates. With over 300 in attendance, the free-will donation Spaghetti Dinner raised $2,768 alone. All costs for the meal were covered by the Paradise church, and all items in the Live and Silent
Auctions were donated by our residents. The Live Auction was so much fun, with our own resident and professional auctioneer at the microphone.The baked goods are always among the most sought-after items for auction. The grand total raised was $12,975 which means each of our four charities received $3243.75.
The generosity of the residents of Paradise Resort Estates will assist so many in the area. Thank you for your generosity!
Originally published in the March 18, 2026 issue of Welcome Home Winter Texan. Read the full issue.
