The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
SHARING WITH HER COMMUNITY
Woman serves free breakfast outside her home on Saturdays
On Saturday mornings from 10 a.m. to noon, Jessica Santiago sits under a canopy outside her house, 1722 Washington Ave. in Lorain, with a dining chair, table, breakfast meals and a cooler.
Santiago’s hair can be found in a tight ponytail on the back of her head.
A mask covers her face to make visitors feel comfortable.
When the novel coronavirus pandemic began, Santiago, 38, wanted to help her community.
“I’ve been doing this for five weeks,” she said. “I go to the food pantry myself, and I know how hard it can be.”
With food leftover from the food pantry, and in combination with assorted fresh foods she and her family don’t eat, Santiago said she made sure nothing went to waste.
“I had extra and I knew I could do something with it,” she said. “People are struggling through these times.
“I know how hard it can be. I grew up with seven brothers and sisters in a military family. Sometimes you just need a little help.”
On any given Friday before the distributions, Santiago spends the evening doing prep work.
“It’s wonderful to know I can still help out and make a difference. I just made over 200 pancakes from scratch, and I can’t wait to do it again.”
— Jessica Santiago
She makes muffins or pancakes from scratch, gathers fruit, boxed milk and snacks.
“I make either muffins or pancakes and actually freeze some of them,” Santiago said. “So, that way if I run out of the hot meals, people are still able to take something.”
She said she helps about 15 families per distribution.
In return, community members offer to mow her lawn, give her donations and pray for her.
“Someone I’ve given food to offered to cut my grass because my lawn mower broke,” Santiago said.
“It was so sweet and so unexpected.
“I don’t do this for anything in return, but that was so kind.”
During her last distribution, Santiago ran out of breakfast within two hours.
As her breakfast distribution has started to grow, people have donated money to help buy baking necessities and ingredients needed for the meals.
“People have just been so kind,” Santiago said.
“I buy in bulk, so I don’t have to go shopping too often for the meals.
“And so, I can make more. The donations were unexpected, but have helped out a lot.
“I can get everything I need to make the muffins or pancakes and help others.”
As for the future, Santiago plans to continue her Saturday breakfast distributions as long as the pandemic lasts.
“It’s wonderful to know I can still help out and make a difference,” she said.
“I just made over 200 pancakes from scratch, and I can’t wait to do it again.”