Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Joe Brandi. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Joe , appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

Bridging Borders: How One Life-Changing Moment Sparked a Movement of Connection and Compassion
By Joe Brandi
In 2008, I stood on a dusty path in the slums of Kenya, surrounded by barefoot children who had almost nothing in terms of material goods — and yet radiated joy, laughter, and warmth. I remember looking into their eyes and feeling something shift inside me. Until that moment, the idea of poverty had always been conceptual — statistics in a brochure or headlines in the news. But here, it became personal. Real. Human.
It was a watershed moment for me.
That experience planted a seed that would change the trajectory of my life. I returned home to San Diego unable to shake the memory of what I’d seen and felt. I began to question what I was living for — the pursuit of the American dream started to feel empty in comparison to the richness of connection I had encountered in those humble neighborhoods. I knew I couldn’t turn back. I didn’t want a life of comfort if it meant closing my eyes to that kind of need — and beauty.
So in 2010, I began leading monthly service trips from San Diego to Tijuana — just across the border, yet a world away in terms of opportunity. Some trips had just ten people, others more than thirty-five. Over the years, I’ve led more than 200 of these trips, and more than 3,000 people have come along for the ride. We’ve visited orphanages, played soccer with kids, delivered food, painted classrooms, and celebrated birthdays — but more than anything, we’ve listened. We’ve connected. We’ve learned.
That’s how Amigos 2 Familia was born. What started as a few carloads of volunteers has grown into a nonprofit — and also a relationship-centered social enterprise — that brings people together across borders to build something bigger than any one of us could on our own.
We offer safe, low-cost, guided day trips into communities in Mexico and Latin America. We travel with trusted local drivers and community partners, we eat tacos (yes, they’re amazing), and we facilitate relational, meaningful service experiences for people from all walks of life. No pressure, no preaching — just presence, compassion, and a chance to be part of something real.
Our trips are intentionally inclusive — whether you’re religious or not, whether you’ve volunteered before or are brand new to this — you’re welcome. We regularly work with people from every background and belief system, and the common thread is always the same: people who want to make a difference, learn something new, and return home changed.
Beyond the trips, Amigos 2 Familia also supports long-term work being done by incredible local leaders across Latin America — people who are mentoring children, providing counseling, offering ESL and tutoring programs, and serving meals to families in need. They already know the language, the geography, the culture, and the heart of their communities. What they need from us isn’t just money — it’s friendship. Encouragement. Partnership.
That’s where we come in.
So, how can you get involved?

Join a Trip
Come down with us for a day or a weekend. Experience the culture, meet the kids, laugh, learn, and walk away with a story of your own. It’s safe, fun, and unforgettable — tacos included.

Support the Work
Your donation directly funds our feeding programs, counseling for trauma-affected children, after-school tutoring, and ESL instruction. Even small contributions make a big difference in sustaining the life-changing work our local partners are doing every day.

Spread the Word
Know someone who would love this experience? Invite them. Share our mission. Help us build more bridges across borders.
We’re not trying to “save” anyone. We’re here to show up. To walk with. To remind each other of our shared humanity — and how much stronger we are when we serve together.
It all started with one trip. One face. One moment of seeing the world differently.
We’d love for you to experience that, too.
Learn more or sign up for a trip at www.amigos2familia.org

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

About Amigos 2 Familia: A Unique Model of Cross-Border Compassion and Community
Amigos 2 Familia is a nonprofit organization with a unique approach: we don’t just send money overseas — we build long-term, relational partnerships with trusted in-country nonprofits and provide safe, guided, relational service trips for volunteers based in the U.S.
Our mission is to create meaningful, lasting connections between people in the United States and vulnerable children and communities across Latin America. What sets us apart is our consistent, hands-on approach. We’re one of the only nonprofits offering monthly cross-border day trips — primarily from San Diego to Tijuana — where participants can experience direct impact through presence, not just donations.
Our trips are inclusive, accessible, and low-cost. We travel with trusted local drivers and hosts, eat delicious local food, and facilitate genuine cultural exchanges and service opportunities. Volunteers of all backgrounds are welcome — no religious affiliation or prior experience required.
Beyond the trips, our work centers around long-standing partnerships with local leaders in Mexico, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Panama, El Salvador, and Guatemala. These leaders are highly trained — many are college-educated counselors, teachers, and community mentors. They are already doing incredible work, and we exist to come alongside them — relationally and financially — to help that work go further and deeper.
Our funding supports key programs including:
– Trauma-informed counseling for children who have experienced abandonment, violence, or poverty
– Feeding programs for children facing food insecurity
– Tutoring and educational support to help students succeed academically
– ESL (English as a Second Language) classes that open future opportunities for kids
Because our partners are based in countries where the cost of living is lower, the dollars we raise stretch farther — allowing us to support skilled professionals at low cost. This efficient, high-impact model ensures both accountability and contextualization. Our partners know the language, the culture, and the needs. They run the programs. We walk with them, support them, and share in the mission.
Most nonprofits choose either a relational approach or a financial one. We do both.
We’re proud of the depth of our partnerships, the transparency of our work, and the community we’re building across borders. Whether you’re looking to give back, broaden your perspective, or take part in meaningful service, Amigos 2 Familia offers a powerful way to connect and contribute.
Learn more or get involved at www.amigos2familia.org.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

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**What helped us build our reputation in the market?**

Hands down — **consistency**.

We’ve been showing up month after month since 2010. Whether ten people came or thirty-five, whether the border was busy or quiet, whether it was hot, cold, chaotic, or smooth — we went. That kind of reliability in the nonprofit space is rare. It communicates that we’re not just a feel-good project or a one-time campaign. We’re in this for the long haul.

That consistency built trust. With the children and leaders we serve in Latin America. With the volunteers who keep coming back. With donors who know we follow through. Over time, that rhythm created a sense of integrity — people saw that we weren’t just talking about compassion, we were living it, trip after trip.

But it’s not just about showing up regularly — it’s about showing up **relationally**. We’ve stayed consistent not only in our schedule, but in our values. We don’t believe in transactional charity. We believe in friendship, in partnership, in sitting across from someone and hearing their story. That approach — face-to-face, heart-to-heart — has helped us stand out in a crowded nonprofit landscape.

And we’re small, which means we’re nimble. We’ve stayed close to the work, close to the people, and close to our mission. We know the names of the kids we serve. We know the birthdays of our partners. That level of consistency and personal connection is the heart of our reputation — and we’re proud of it.

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We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

**A Story of Resilience: From the Streets of Tijuana to the Courtroom**

One story that continues to shape and inspire our work is that of **José** — a young man whose life reminds us why resilience, both personal and organizational, is worth fighting for.

I first met José when he was just 13 years old, living in an orphanage in Tijuana alongside nearly 50 other children. He was bright but burdened — working the streets selling bread just to scrape together a few pesos. He had dropped out of school, and like so many kids in similar situations, his future looked heartbreakingly limited. Statistically speaking, it wasn’t promising.

But statistics don’t account for opportunity — or for relationships.

We saw potential in José, and more importantly, we stayed in his life. We didn’t just visit once and move on. Through *Amigos 2 Familia*, we were able to provide the funding and encouragement he needed to return to school — not just public school, but a quality private school where he could catch up, focus, and thrive.

Years later, we took the next step: helping sponsor José through **law school**. And today? He’s a **junior-level attorney**, working in a professional field he once thought was out of reach. His life is changed — not by a one-time handout, but by years of walking with him, cheering him on, and helping provide the resources he needed to flourish.

Even more meaningful? We’re still friends. Our connection didn’t end when he got his diploma. That’s the heart of *Amigos 2 Familia*: **long-term, relational support that empowers lasting transformation**.

We want to create more stories like José’s. There are thousands of kids just like him — full of potential, but lacking access to opportunity. With the right support — tutoring, counseling, mentorship, education, community — lives can change.

And **you** can be part of that change.

Learn more or get involved at [www.amigos2familia.org](https://www.amigos2familia.org). Let’s build more stories of resilience together.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.amigos2familia.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amigos2familia
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amigos2familia

Image Credits

All photos taken by Joe Brandi, used with permission.