Puerto Rico
"There are some days you just want to buy food, and you just have to go hungry when you go to bed. So you just go to bed, you wake up, and you hope that you can find some breakfast.” Hector, a 42‐year‐old former taxi driver, speaks steady articulation in Spanish about how disheartening the days can be when he can’t find consistent access to food. Many times, he forgoes a meal to make sure that his mother, Francesca, is fed.
For this homeless taxi driver, the local soup kitchen is sometimes the only access he has to other crucial needs, including clothing and a hot shower. Both he and his mother, Francesca, are homeless, moving from one shelter to another in the small towns that surround San Juan. “We go to programs like these every day. We’ll go to at least one every day.”
Comparable to their mainland counterparts, Puerto Ricans have been affected by the current recession. “These types of programs help a lot, especially in the bad economy.” Without a cab to drive, Hector and his mother Francesca rely on $30 to $50 a month to live. We used to be able to get coupons to stretch out the food, but now they don’t go as far, so these programs help a lot.” The food they receive from their local pantry helps them to stretch their money further. And remaining together helps the two keep strong in spirit, even during their toughest times.
Find out more about Banco de Alimentos de Puerto Rico.