Fernanda is the Business Manager of a small health clinic called Casa el Buen Summaritano. The clinic is completely free, and serves a population of undocumented immigrants in the Southwest area of Houston. So many of her patients were affected by Hurricane Harvey. So Fernanda wanted to do something to help.
“We got the idea to hold a Friendsgiving,” said Fernanda. “So we identified those new patients that we served after the storm and were most affected and invited them.”
Fernanda wanted to put together a full “Thanksgiving Kit” for 50 families, turkey included. Lots of community partners came together to pitch in. But she was missing one vital – and some might argue, the most important – thing. The pies.
We jumped in and purchased 50 pies for 50 families. And in the end, Fernanda and her crew of other partners were able to put together a complete meal that included the turkey, stuffing mix, a bag of potatoes, two cans of vegetables, dinner rolls, and of course, a pie.
“The families were so grateful,” said Fernanda. “And our volunteers were so happy because it gave them some one on one time with the community.”
Fernanda is also hoping that this gesture will help encourage the patients to come back, saying that much of life for the Hispanic community revolves around food. She wants to be sure that everyone in the community knows that the clinic is there for them, since many families would not be getting healthcare services anywhere else.
Sometimes a pie is just a pie. But as a gesture of goodwill, it can mean so much more.
