April 19, 2022
A handful of neighbors at a table in Seminole.
They came from every corner of the region: young and old, religious and not, speaking English, Spanish and Low German. None of them had run a mutual aid group before. What they shared was a belief that the plains deserved a kinder, fairer place to live. This is what happened next.
2022: The First Forecast
None of them had run a mutual aid group before. By December they had a nonprofit, a storage unit, and a report that called the sky BLUE.
- Neighbors Served
- 5
- Raised For One Neighbor
- $4,840
- Team Hours
- 84
April 2022
A Single Meeting
Volunteers gather at a restaurant in Seminole with one goal: neighbors helping neighbors.
July 2022
501(c)(3) Status
The first mutual-aid-based nonprofit in Gaines County history.
September 2022
Six Months In
Six loads of donated goods, a free storage unit with shelving built by hand, and the first neighbors helped into jobs and housing.
November 2022
38 Donors in 30 Days
$4,840 raised in under a month for a local widow and her son facing funeral and medical costs.
December 2022
The Sky Was BLUE
The first State of the Skies Report closes the year. Its verdict on the state of the sky: BLUE.
2023: Year of the Volunteer
New volunteers brought new skills: branding, research, training, and a voice in the local paper.
- Neighbors Served
- 40
- Food Boxes
- 15
- Team Hours
- 400
February 2023
GuideStar Platinum
Our transparency rating moves from Gold to Platinum after the 2022 numbers are filed.
April 2023
In the Sentinel
The Seminole Sentinel runs a feature story and agrees to recap every monthly meeting.
June 2023
The Gaines County Poverty Report
Volunteer researchers finish the first look at poverty in our county, later turned into an infographic for the community.
September 2023
First Narcan Supply
Our first supply of Narcan arrives, and the first Community Giveaway raises $362.
October 2023
Four Stars
Charity Navigator awards Blue Skies its highest rating.
2024: Season of Growth
New programs, Narcan where it was needed, and the year deliveries became what Blue Skies is known for.
- Neighbors Served
- 95
- Food Boxes
- 138
- Hygiene Kits
- 116
- Deliveries & Pickups
- 157
March 2024
Narcan Where It's Needed
Our first Narcan request: 24 doses and overdose-response training for the county probation office.
September 2024
Medical Device Lending
Wheelchairs, walkers and more on loan for free, and membership in the Simply the Basics hygiene bank network.
October 2024
Deliveries Become Everything
Bringing boxes to neighbors' doors becomes our main and best-known program.
2025: Year of Community
More neighbors than ever, more volunteers than ever, and a town that showed up for each other.
- Neighbors Served
- 237
- Deliveries & Pickups
- 402
- Food Boxes
- 322
- Team Hours
- 1,710
July 2025
Our Own Front Door
A ribbon cutting opens our first walk-in office, and the board approves redesigned bylaws.
December 2025
Warmth for Winter
Seminole EMS donates its cold-weather supplies, space heaters go out to neighbors, and the first Gazebo Goodies giveaway joins the Christmas parade.
2026: Bringing the Blue
The work keeps widening: shelter from the cold, readiness for disasters, and tools built for our own team.
- Counties Served
- 5
- Programs
- 9
- Core Volunteers
- 14
January 2026
A Warm Place to Stay
During a hard cold snap we run what is believed to be Seminole's first warming shelter, with Atlas Church and the Hope Center.
January 2026
Platinum Transparency
Candid awards Blue Skies its 2026 Platinum Seal of Transparency.
March 2026
Our Own Stretch of Road
We adopt a stretch of Lamesa Highway through TXDOT's Adopt-A-Highway program.
March 2026
Ready for the Storm
With the Texas Division of Emergency Management, the Blue Skies Alliance becomes the base for a community disaster network.
May 2026
Our Own App
The Blue Skies app you're using now is introduced to the team, bringing our work into one place.
The State of the Sky: BLUE
Sometimes you can't wait for the storms to pass. You have to bring the blue skies yourself.
Blue Skies is run by neighbors, and many of us have needed help ourselves. There's a seat at the table for you.