Our Origins

The Building of the Building

Our budget expanded over the covid years from around $120K to $150K or so, plus about $10K for the security system.
When we started fundraising in 2018, we had about $7K in the bank.  By the end of 2019, we had about $90K in the bank, and Covid-19 just kind of shut us down for most of 2020-2021.
We kicked back in gear w/Fall 2021 and the Food Truck, and continued our fundraising efforts.
Building permits were applied for in April 2022, and finally issued in Dec 2022.
Renovations started January 2023.

  • We brought the electric up to commercial standards in about 1/2 of the building.
  • We updated 3 ingress/egress exits to ADA standards.
  • We updated 2 exit ramps to ADA standards
  • We added two handicap accessible bathrooms with showers.
  • We added laundry facilities.
Work day at the building, with CAP Cadets and KCE employees.
Workday at the building.
Fr. Mike and Luis signing he lease.
Workday at the building.
With Carlos and Bobby at Taos United.
Workday at the building.
demo
demo
new wall rough in
wall rough in
utility rough in
hallway work
new wall!
new bathroom rough in
laundry room rough in
New Utility Appliances
New Front Door
Roughed in Storage

2023

Common Grounds Teens were busy in Taos …

They presented at ….

  • Kit Carson Board
  • St. James Parish
  • Taos Academy
  • The Mayor’s office
  • Won the Taos Entrepreneurial Network’s “Elevator Pitch” contest!
  • Taos Alive
  • Taos United (16 teens came)
  • We’ve been on the radio several times

The Common Grounds kids coordinated the “Walk on the Plaza” on 3/14 on the #endgunviolence topic (whether a person agrees with that topic or not, their event, the walk to the TCA and the forums that afternoon were AMAZING!)

  • Kids went to Santa Fe on 03/24
  • Students from THS, TA, VG are all working together to coordinate a 4/20 walk to the plaza. Two schools have given their permission for staff and students to do this.  One school did not.
  • They presented at Pecha Kucha on 06/14

We continue to work with Daniel Escalante (Reading to End Racism and Interfaith/Intercultural Alliance) for training teens on how to host their own Community Building workshops with and for other teens (and some adults).

First Wednesday Meal

Teens gathered on the first Wednesday of each month to share a meal together.  We started cooking at 6pm, and we typically ate around 7ish.

We shared a prayer or a gratitude with each other, and then had fellowship together until we had to clean up.

St. James Lock-ins

Lock-In/Sleep-Over Activities have been held in the following places.
Starry Night
Game Nights (2)
Movie Night
New Year’s Eve (2)
Meow Wolf
4th of July (2)
Thanksgiving Weekend