This year, our food pantry has been able to provide food to more families in the Latinx community than ever before thanks to the efforts of taxi driver and food pantry volunteer, Luz Sepulveda.

Before the pandemic, Sepulveda had a few customers from her own community request rides to JF&CS to pick up food from the food pantry. As the pandemic hit, she received more and more requests for help getting food from the pantry. Most of her taxi customers are from Central America and do not speak English, so Sepulveda acts as a bridge between Spanish-speaking clients and the JF&CS food pantry, as she speaks Spanish and some English. She helped them call the pantry and arranged to pick up the food.

Soon, Sepulveda was requesting food for five different families every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Each day, she drives to the pantry and packs her small Prius with bags of fresh produce and boxes of non-perishables. She then delivers the food directly to each family’s home.

Sepulveda has helped deliver food throughout the pandemic and continues to carve out an hour between taxi rides on most Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to help people get the food they need. She reports that many of the people she helps have large families with only one working adult while others are home taking care of their children. Incredible volunteers, like Luz Sepulveda, make it possible for JF&CS to serve and help many people across multiple communities.

We’re grateful to have Luz as a partner so we can help reach these families and provide the nourishment they need!

If you are interesting in volunteering with or donating to our food pantry, please click here to learn how you can help.