The First Step Is Food

To anyone who knows him, Marco is often described as a “renaissance man” for his drive to remain curious and learn new skills.

For several years, Marco worked as an airplane mechanic for the Marines. After leaving the military, he took on a variety of odd jobs to gain new experiences while earning an income. Over time, life took him down an unexpected path, forcing him to live on the streets. During this time, Marco found his way to Waste Not’s partner agency, Helping with All My Heart, a nonprofit dedicated to providing resources and a safe environment for asylum seekers and unhoused individuals.

Asking for help became a turning point in Marco’s life. With the help of Helping with All My Heart, he received temporary housing, healthy meals and additional resources to apply in his daily life. 

"It's been good because for a while, you're not thinking so much, you're not stressed out about what you're going to eat.”

It’s easy to underestimate the importance of food. But for unhoused individuals, access to nutritious meals is often a luxury. Beyond simply easing hunger pains, consistent, healthy meals can directly shape a person’s ability to move forward and pursue opportunities, such as seeking employment. This was the case for Marco, who often went without nutrient-rich meals while living on the street. Having access to food became a critical first step toward his ability to move forward.

“During the time I was on the street, not eating affected my health a lot,” Marco reflected. “It's hard even to get a job if you're not appearing healthy enough to keep it. [Receiving food] has opened up more doors because then people see that you're healthy enough to work."

With his basic needs being met, Marco is now able to use this newfound energy to focus on rebuilding his life. He wanted to make meaningful use of his time. After talking to Pastor Cristobal Perez, the organizer of Helping with All My Heart, he was inspired to become a volunteer. When he isn’t applying for jobs, Marco typically helps with many kinds of job opportunities, including preparing food in the kitchen. 

For Marco, the kindness and warmth he received from the staff and volunteers at Helping with All My Heart left a lasting impression. By volunteering, he aspires to lead with empathy while also returning the same kindness he received when he first walked through its doors years ago.

Motivated by his past and his volunteer work, Marco hopes to share with others the lesson that you should never judge a book by its cover. He wants others to see beyond appearances and stereotypes about unhoused individuals, so people can recognize the humanity in everyone. 

"Even though they may have a bad appearance, many of them have families. So, people just have to listen to the fact that a lot of them end up out there just by bad luck."

Life doesn’t always go as planned. Sometimes, it takes you down different paths you never expected. And the truth is, this can happen to anyone at any time. Marco’s story is a powerful reminder of this.

To learn more about how you can support our neighbors like Marco, please consider donating at give.wastenotaz.org.