Settle in, enjoy, and have fun reading our column this month. Thanks for being such loyal and great readers.
Sandy: Tom, I am so excited to get into this month’s article. I met a really wonderful man and his family doing great things in our community and am excited to tell our readers about the Rosa Foundation.
Tom: I am too, Sandy. You invited David Carrillo to join us. He and his dad, Jose, are the backbone of this foundation. Welcome, David.
David: Thank you so much for inviting me. The only thing I love more than talking about the Rosa Foundation is the work we do in our community.
Sandy: David, tell us about the name. Who is Rosa?
David: My mom. She is the inspiration for the work we do in the community. She was always thinking of and doing for others. When she was injured, she was no longer able to help others, so my dad and I are just trying to fill her shoes, which is not easy.
Tom: Tell our readers about the work you do.
David: We try to bring more food resources to the Quad Cities community. We are a local charity and keep within the local community.
Sandy: Your family started Maya’s Mercado, which you now run, so you are not new to the food resource process. Tell us a little about how the connection between Maya’s Mercado and the Rosa Foundation works.
David: My dad started Maya’s Mercado about 17 years ago. Over the years, he accumulated the equipment necessary to run a food business. He purchased trucks for moving product, forklifts, pallet jacks and storage areas, including walk-ins for refrigeration.
Sandy: So, you had all the necessary pieces to expand and start the food resource business.
David: Yes, the tools were there and the connections my dad and mom made over the years built up not only a supply chain, but also, and more importantly, our support in the community.
Sandy: What kinds of food resources is the Rosa Foundation providing?
David: Because we have the tools and resources, we can provide fresh foods, protein sources, milk, not just cereals, canned goods and dry goods. This really helps us help others.
Sandy: That is great that you can provide fresh food to people. Does that include meats and vegetables?
David: Most definitely. Sometimes we don’t have enough to meet demand and we let people know that beforehand. An example would be a couple of months ago we only had enough carne asada for the first 100 people that showed up and we put that out there on social media.
Sandy: Wow, carne asada for 100 people. How much food does the Rosa Foundation give away?
David: I am not sure of any totals. On Oct. 26, we partnered with the Single Parents of America Corp. to give away 80,000 pounds of food, so, hundreds of thousands of pounds, I guess.
Tom: The success of Maya’s Mercado, in many ways, paved the way forward for your family to give back to those in need. That is very cool!
David: We are so grateful for the community support. My dad built the infrastructure and my mom provided the direction and inspiration for all of it.
Sandy: OK, We need to drill down into this family a little bit more so our readers can get a sense of the genesis of all your passion. How long have your mom and dad been together? How long ago did the idea of the Rosa Foundation start to grow? When did you formalize it?
David: Well, my mom and dad have been together for 43 years. They both have been good about giving to the community – my mom, Rosa, in particular. Her heart was so big. She was always looking for ways to help others in need. We started the Rosa Foundation in October 2023, so we are young. We are a community supported foundation with more than 50 local businesses contributing.
Tom: As you said earlier, your mom suffered a significant setback. Was that the catalyst to carry on her good deeds?
David: Yes, my dad and I wanted to find a way we could continue giving back to the community that would not only help people, but also honor the work Mom did when she could.
Sandy: I love your logo and motto: The Power of Charity. The good you are doing in the community is a clear testament to that. Tell us how this all works. Are there specific times, days or hours for people to access the food items?
David: We work from our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Rosa-Foundation-61560868125322/. We don’t have a website. Since we don’t always know what food items we are going to have available through donations, we post on our page what we will have and when. Typically, we will host a drive-thru distribution area on a weekend, like a Saturday, between 9 and 11 a.m., at a school parking lot in the Prescott Valley area.
Tom: So, if I pay attention to the Facebook page, do I need to sign up or just show up?
David: Just show up. No signups are necessary, and we don’t pre-qualify either. You drive up, we give you a prepackaged box and we do ask, if you are able, to make a donation to help us meet the few expenses we incur.
Sandy: What are those expenses like?
David: Not much. Things like helping with gas for the trucks, help with maintenance on some of the tools. We don’t take any pay and are all volunteer labor.
Tom: You are a 501(c)3 registered charity, so any donation is tax deductible. That is awesome.
Sandy: To be clear, all volunteer, fresh food as well as dry goods and canned goods, no questions asked, doing this out of pure charity to honor your mom. I have got to tell you, David Carrillo of Maya’s Mercado, you, your family of relatives and volunteers are the real deal. Thank you.
Tom, I also want to say that Maya’s Mercado has Taco Nights, and a portion of the taco sales goes to the Rosa Foundation. All I can say is, bet you can’t eat just one taco! They are out of this world and the family is wonderful.
David: And Sandy, not to forget, so many of the YCCA members volunteer at our food drives.
Sady: David, yes, I am so proud of so many wonderful men and women, who love supporting our community and of course, David, you and your dad, Jose, and your mom, Rosa. Our hats are off to you!
Thanks, community. Tom and I love bringing you stories about our community heroes. QCBN
Tom Reilly, Architect.
Sandy Griffis, Executive Director, Yavapai County Contractors Association 928-778-0040.
PS: Remember to tune in to YCCA’s Hammer Time every Saturday and Sunday morning at 7 a.m. on KQNA 1130 AM, 99.9 FM, 95.5 FM or the web: kqna.com. Listen to Sandy and Mike talk about the construction industry, meet your local community partners and so much more. What a great way to start your weekend!
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