Despite the intense cold on november 13, dozens of families began lining up early in the morning outside Concilio’s facilities at 141 E. Hunting Park Avenue to receive food as part of a community effort aimed at addressing the increasing need among Latino families in Philadelphia.
Although the distribution was scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m., the line started forming long before. During a difficult economic climate and a perceived sense of insecurity, many attendees chose to remain anonymous, yet they still expressed deep gratitude for the assistance.
Voices from the community
Among those present was Margarita, a Puerto Rican woman who has lived in Philadelphia for five years. She arrived prepared to face the cold and explained that she has been receiving food assistance for the past five years. She emphasized that help is available, but it requires effort.
“People who say there’s no help in Philadelphia are simply not willing to put in the effort,” she said.
Another young mother, accompanied by her daughter, shared that this was her first time attending a food distribution event. Although she did not know what items she would receive, she noted:
“Any help is good.”
She expressed gratitude for Concilio’s initiative during such challenging times.
An organized and community-driven effort
Concilio staff and volunteers worked diligently to maintain an orderly process: sorting food, filling bags, handing out forms to collect family information, and distributing numbers to ensure a fair system.
Leslie Fuentes, program coordinator, explained that the goal is to keep the initiative active year-round:
“The community needs food. What’s happening politically has had a strong impact. We hope to receive the Philadelphia grant so we can provide this distribution twice a week.”
According to Fuentes, they receive items such as fresh vegetables, rice, beans, and fruit, and between 100 and 150 people participate in each distribution. At times, the food runs out in less than an hour due to the high demand. She also described the emotional strain she observes in the community:
“People are not doing well emotionally. You can see the anguish and desperation.”
Their main goal is to secure more partnerships to ensure food availability throughout the entire year.
Support beyond food
In addition to food distribution, Concilio has focused on guiding families to other available resources. Carmen Rosario, who oversees community initiatives, recalled that at the start of the program they realized many residents did not know where to seek help.
“We began providing information about all the nearby food drives and food banks so people wouldn’t have to travel far.”
Although they initially served the 19140, 19124, and 19134 ZIP codes, families soon began arriving from Fairhill, North Philadelphia, Kensington, Spring Garden, Fairmount, and even South Philadelphia.
Rosario said her greatest satisfaction comes from responding to the community’s real needs, and she offered an encouraging message:
“Don’t give up. There will always be challenges but keep fighting and setting a good example for the children.”
Concilio is preparing to carry out additional food distributions before the end of the year, reaffirming its commitment to Puerto Rican and Latino families in Philadelphia.
