MISSION
Camino Alliance supports local ministries and organizations in Latin America and among Latino Immigrants in the U.S. that address spiritual needs, urban poverty and migration to create thriving communities and cities rooted in Shalom.
PURPOSE
We exist to build alliances that unleash the power of faith, justice, collaboration, and generosity to help Latin Americans and Latino Immigrants to shape brighter futures in the communities where they live.
Our work emerges from decades of hands-on experience in fragile urban contexts in Latin America and Latino communities in the United States.
WHAT WE VALUE
Our core values, deeply rooted in our Christian faith and the rich and diverse heritage of Latin America, guide our commitment to uplifting individuals, families, and communities.
FAITH: WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT THE RENEWAL OF PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES
We are passionate about following Jesus, convinced that lasting transformation in the world originates from a profound change in hearts. Driven by our deep faith, this conviction inspires us to support local leaders, ministries, and organizations in fostering renewal within individuals and communities.
COLLABORATION: WE CAN ACHIEVE INFINITELY MORE TOGETHER THAN SEPARATELY
We believe in the power of collaboration, understanding that uniting our efforts allows us to achieve significantly more than we could alone. By cultivating strong partnerships, setting aside personal egos, and enabling others to succeed, we lay the foundation for turning fragile cities into thriving Shalom communities.
CHANGE BEYOND CHARITY: WE GO BEYOND MERE AID
We focus on holistic transformation rather than traditional charity, acting as catalysts for innovative and sustainable solutions that enhance self-agency and lasting impact.
Our Four Focus Areas
We Invest in Local Leaders and Organizations
We invest in local leaders and organizations in Latin America and Latino immigrant communities who effectively address spiritual needs and the root causes of urban poverty and migration. Through the implementation of the Camino Azul strategy, we create opportunities for Latin Americans and Latinos to reach their full potential.
We Seek the Transformation of Fragile Cities into Shalom Cities
We aim to transform fragile communities and cities in Latin America and among Latino immigrants into thriving Shalom Cities, holistically addressing urbanization, violence, spiritual needs and migration challenges. This focus on creating clusters for urban transformation is pivotal in reshaping the continent's future.
We Exist to Create a Philanthropic Movement for Latin America
We exist to create a philanthropic movement for Latin America by mobilizing individuals, churches, corporations, and foundations, while harnessing the collective power of US-Latinos and recent immigrants to drive transformative change. To achieve this, we engage the Latino immigrant community, facilitate project funding, offer donor advisory services to maximize the impact of funders, produce research, provide thought leadership, and organize educational trips that promote cross-cultural connections and a deeper understanding of key issues.
We Conduct Community-level and Citywide Research
We conduct community-level and city-wide research through our Urban Research Institute to gain a deeper understanding of the cities where we work, mapping local assets, producing data on urban fragility and migration, and developing evidence-based interventions. Our goal is to share this information with key stakeholders, to influence urban development and include fragile communities in the city planning and development processes.
OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Founded in 2019, Camino Alliance's structure is strategically designed to maximize the effectiveness of our mission, with two affiliates: one in Mexico (Camino Alliance LATAM) and another in the United States (Camino Alliance USA). Having a legal presence in both Latin America and the United States allows us to broaden our reach, deepen our impact in the region, and function effectively as a single organization with two legal affiliates.
OUR LEADERSHIP
Noel Castellanos
Dr. Noel Castellanos
Born in Texas and raised in California, Noel has dedicated his career to serving Latino communities across the United States as a youth worker, pastor, community developer, and advocate for biblical justice since 1982. He spent three decades in Chicago, specifically in the La Villita neighborhood, where he also authored several books on biblical justice and community engagement. Dr. Castellanos led the Christian Community Development Association as President and CEO for 14 years, an umbrella organization serving over 2,000 Christian nonprofit organizations committed to community development.
He was appointed to the President’s Council for Faith and Neighborhood Partnerships during the Obama Administration was a founding member of the Evangelical Immigration Table, advocating for comprehensive reform of the U.S. immigration system. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors for World Vision USA. In 2019, Dr. Castellanos established Camino Alliance, focusing on addressing the root causes of urban poverty and migration in Latin America and in Huntsville, AL, where Noel currently lives and where Camino Alliance USA is headquartered. He and his wife, Marianne, have been married for 40 years and are proud parents of three children and grandparents to two grandchildren.
Jean-Luc Krieg
Jean-Luc Krieg
Born and raised in Côte d'Ivoire and of Swiss-German descent, Jean-Luc is a social entrepreneur and minister focused on urban transformation. After earning a degree in Education in Switzerland, traveling across Latin America, and living in an urban poor neighborhood in Mexico City and Zurich’s redlight district, he moved to Philadelphia in 1997 to pursue graduate studies. In 2002, he earned an MBA in International Economic Development and a Master of Divinity. He was ordained as a minister and began working at Geneva Global Inc., a philanthropy corporation, where he supervised a team of researchers and served as Latin American coordinator and consultant for dozens of ministries and nonprofit organizations. In 2005, Jean-Luc moved back to Mexico City with a vision to help transform fragile cities into SHALOM cities.
From 2006 to 2021, he founded and led Urban Mosaic, an organization focused on urban change in Mexico City and Barranquilla, Colombia. These organizations directly benefited over 50,000 local residents. Jean-Luc has learned from successes and failures, understanding the critical need for internal growth, agility, innovation, and reorientation. In 2022, he formed a strategic partnership with Noel Castellanos, and together they established Camino Alliance LATAM, based in Mexico City. He currently serves as the executive director of Camino Alliance. In this role, his focus is to come alongside others to create clusters for urban transformation in fragile cities, with the goal of seeing more of God's Shalom there.
