700,000 Meals and Counting
Chef Marissa Gamboa and her kitchen staff
Through the hard work of our Food Services program, Union Station Homeless Services serves fresh meals daily to clients and neighbors throughout the San Gabriel Valley.
With resources provided through in-kind donations, sponsorship, and funds raised by our community, the Food Services program team creates thoughtful meals that provide nourishment and comfort. Last year, 700,000 meals were served throughout sites, events, and outreach efforts.
Chef Marisa Gamboa leads the team of four. Their hours can start as early as 5:30 AM, the time filled with taking inventory, meal ideation, preparation, serving, and connecting with residents. Volunteers are essential to the process and provide much-needed support to the program.
Chef Marisa takes prides in the work her kitchen staff and volunteers do every week
“Because we only have three other cooks in the kitchen, volunteers are extremely important to create that many [700,000+] meals, prep that many dishes, and support many events for our clients,” Marisa says of our valuable volunteers.
Tacos are a favorite among the residents. Chef Marisa learned to cook for her grandmother, whom she took care of, and later her uncle, who owned a restaurant in Jalisco, Mexico. The lessons she learned inspired Chef Marisa to enter the culinary world, specifically cooking for large events. While she took satisfaction in her work, she felt a deeper calling to pursue something more fulfilling.
Reflecting on the impact of her work, Marisa shared:
“When I provide a meal and our staff comes together to create something beautiful—so our clients can sit down for half an hour, forget their problems, and not worry about where their next meal will come from—it’s amazing.”
Along with daily meals, the team provides about 150 sack lunches for community members and for outreach teams to distribute throughout the San Gabriel Valley. Each week, 60 Emergency Food Boxes are distributed to clients via their case managers for those who are unable to shop for groceries — an option that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Emergency Food Boxes have been essential for many clients since then, and it’s a program we are proud to continue to provide.
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