by Katie Vasquez
Seven days a week, the “Bolivian Llama Party” crafts modern dishes like salteñas and silpancho.
But one of these meals is feeding more than hungry customers; for every chicken chicha bowl bought, the restaurant donates a food item to the pantry at Saint Teresa church.
“It’s our most popular item, so I knew I would get the most donations if I use that bowl,” said Bolivian Llama Party owner David Oropeza.
Owner David Oropeza says the popular dish has provided more than a thousand items to the pantry, with about 2 pounds of food going to each family.
David started giving to the food pantry in December because he wanted to help the neighborhood and knew personally the impact a food pantry could have as a son of immigrants.
“My mom went to a food pantry at a church where they gave her some food, a little chicken, a little vegetables,” said Oropeza.
Since 1999, Saint Teresa’s pantry in Woodside has been providing grocery items to those who need them.
But the food pantry coordinator at Saint Teresa Church, Norberto Saldaña, says the demand has grown with the city’s migrant crisis.
“We are serving a lot of people,” said Saldaña. “Now that we have that big immigration from Venezuela, from Ecuador, it just is a big help.”
Norberto says hundreds are coming to the pantry every week, like Norma Rivadeneira, who was already in line at 9 a.m. even though the pantry opens at 4.
“I don’t have too much food to eat every day with the family,” said Rivadeneira, a food pantry recipient.
The long line of people like Norma only highlights the demand.
“A lot of people kind of look down maybe or feel shame or guilt that they’re at a food pantry. But you can do so much just by giving a hand, you can achieve so much,” said Oropeza.
This proves why the Bolivian Llama Party’s donation is so important.
“We have to say ‘thank you’ to the restaurant, to everybody who helped us, to have dinner and food for all the family,” said Rivadeneira.
So David will keep donating to the pantry for as long and often as possible.
For more information on the restaurant, head to its website: https://www.blp.nyc/
To donate or volunteer at the pantry, call the church: (718) 784-2123