“I Don’t Want Anyone to Go Hungry”

Miguel has traveled the world as a flight attendant — but twice a month for the past six years, you can find him at Food Bank For NYC’s Mobile Pantry in the Bronx, serving his neighbors with dignity.

This National Volunteer Month, he’s one of thousands showing up for New York: a Dominican working father of four who knows firsthand that a paycheck doesn’t always stretch far enough. “In the greatest country in the world — I don’t want anybody to go hungry.”

Every dollar you give provides 3 meals — be the reason a New York family eats tonight. Donate today.

Transcript:

Miguel (Volunteer):

I believe in the fundamental principle of human rights. We all want to feel accepted.

We all want to feel respected. And we all want to feel dignity.

A lot of us take it for granted. So I’m here to support them — to tell them that it’s okay. It’s okay to come into this line. Even if we are working people, even if you have a paycheck, it’s okay to come and get some type of supplements for your income.

Yes, I am actually a flight attendant. I’ve been in the industry for about twenty-plus years.

I fell in love with coming into the food pantry and serving others. That’s a big calling for me. It came through my faith.

Jonathan (Client):
Thank you. You made me the best man going home right now.

Miguel (Volunteer):
And I see the need. I know that it’s a big need out here.

I’m a working man. I work, and I have a paycheck, and I know how it is.

We go into the store, and we see the prices. And I can only imagine what some of these families nowadays are going through — they don’t have the basic things. I don’t want anybody to go hungry.

And I know in this country — the greatest country in the world — I’ve had the opportunity to travel all over, and I’ve never seen this anywhere. I’ve never seen people in a country where we have so much… they feel trapped.

They feel like they don’t have any other way out. But there is a way out. There is a way out.

It’s about making it every day, making an effort, giving our best in every opportunity and every chance we have.

This is one of my goals — to make sure they feel like our struggle, our present circumstance, does not define who we are.

Thank you so much. Thank you for stopping by. See you.

I want to make them feel welcome — that way they can come into this line and see that we serve them with love, dignity, and respect.

Marco (Client):
This was awesome.

Miguel (Volunteer):

Every penny, every dollar, every time you put into these programs, it comes out to the people that need it. You can see it.

I am a volunteer.

I’m a regular working man that comes and makes sure that everybody receives what they’re supposed to receive — that every dollar that you put out there is being given out. It’s being distributed to the community that is in so much need.

Please keep on donating. Don’t stop.