Nigel Holman has been a soccer referee for 33 years. He’s made hundreds of rulings on the field over the past three decades, but his recent call “off” the pitch might be his most impactful. Last month, Holman decided to donate his referee match fees for the month of September to support the Mesilla Valley Community of Hope in southern New Mexico.
Source: New Mexico Activities Assocation (Photo: Courtesy)
By JP Murrieta
Posted October 10, 2024
His donation was used to support the residents at the Community of Hope’s Tent City and assist them when they move into permanent homes of their own.
“Nobody chooses to live on the street,” said Holman. “I could see commonalities of me as a referee running around out in the heat being shouted at and the real-life experiences of the unhoused people of Las Cruces.
Holman has been a volunteer at the Mesilla Valley Community of Hope and their annual campaign to raise money gave him the idea to donate his game checks for a couple weeks. “Each year they have an annual fundraiser called Tents to Rents, which is a campaign that supports the tent city that houses about 60 men and women. The money raised also helps move them from living in tents to moving into their own apartments. This seemed like an easy way to continue to do what I love, referee, and carry on a bit of good. Every time I got a check from a school district, I added it to the campaign.”
As an individual, Holman helped raise over $1500 for the campaign. “You drive around any town in New Mexico and you see homeless people and I wanted to do something to help them out. Anybody can become homeless. They are usually there because a series of misfortunes. There are efficient ways of helping by supporting outstanding organizations like the Mesilla Valley Community of Hope.”
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