Meet Rosita - The Host Of Our "Super Saturday" Program
Rosita is a single mother with two children – Antonio (17) and Genesis (12). She used to be in charge of MdC’s water program in Besitos, however she recently moved on to a new role! She now oversees the logistics and registration of families for our new “Super Saturday” program.
Our new program aims to improve the health of families by providing fitness classes for women, health & dental classes for children and adults, and game nights for families to build community. Rosita stays connected with the families between Saturdays and reminds them of when it is their turn to be invited for the Super Saturday program.
Rosita has been part of MdC since 2019 and is a familiar face to residents of Besitos.
Last week, we sat down with Rosita to hear her about her experiences with MdC and the changes she has observed in the Besitos community. Here is what she had to say:
How did you first get involved in MdC?
I started helping with the Feed-A-Family food distribution 3 years ago. When the water program started in April of 2021. MdC called me and asked if I want to be in charge of calling families so that they could get water. I would call to invite the families, and then I would meet them there [at the water station] and after that I would make a list of who came and who didn’t. So I got to know the families because I was serving them for a whole year.
Rosita used to manage MdC’s water program. In 2021, MdC distributed enough water to fill 6,000 jugs.
About how families would you say have been served by MdC in Besitos through the water program?
70+ families take advantage of our water distribution.
I’ve seen your son and daughter in a lot of pictures, helping to fill water jugs and give out food. Are they also involved with MdC?
Yes. They started the same time as me, doing the grocery delivery and they were also helping me with the water program, filling up the water jugs. A lot of people that came for water were women, so that’s why they called my son, Antonio, because he’s a guy and he could help the women to carry their water jugs. Antonio also serves on the feed-a-family food team.
Rosita’s son, Antonio, is also a familiar face to Besitos’ families and often helps them deliver water to their homes.
Antonio and his sister Genesis have been faithfully serving alongside their mother Rosita with MdC’s feed-a-family and water programs.
Children often tag along with their parents and have fun while waiting in line for water.
Shelly and her sister Alexis often join their mother, Gloria, to collect and bring water home.
How has MdC helped you personally?
Besides the fact that it helps me economically, it also feels good to see people receive food, receive water, and just the fact that they are happy whenever it happens. That impacts me the most and that is the most satisfying thing for me. That’s why I really like helping.
Rosita began serving with MdC as part of the Feed-A-Family program back in 2019.
Over the last 3 years, Rosita has become a familiar face to many of the families served by MdC.
For our medical fairs, Rosita is responsible to invite all of the families and helps to manage registration and logistics.
What changes have you seen in the Besitos community since MdC started its programs here?
A change that I’ve seen is that since the food program started, instead of using all the money they earn to spend on food, the families can use some of it to pay their bills, or other necessities. I can see that the families are very thankful for that. Everytime there’s a program I call families to invite them. I can tell that they talk about our programs because I start getting calls from others asking “How come you haven’t called me?” I can just say that the families are very thankful and they are always on top of things when it comes to MdC.
Rosita and her daughter, Genesis, at the Super Saturday launch.
To be a part of our Super Saturday program, families have to regularly participate in the programs, including health classes and family activities. This encourages families to take responsibility and be an active participant in improving their lives. Part of Rosita’s responsibility is to encourage the families to come and track attendance.
A family enjoys a game of Jenga. It is so great to see people laugh and spend a moment relaxing.
Besides table games, the MdC team also has more active games with jump ropes and hula hoops, or a more relaxing reading corner.
What would like to say to MdC’s supporters?
On behalf of the people in the Besitos community, I would just say that they are very thankful and we are very thankful that you are supporting our work and this community. You can see our programs and the work that we are doing by following our posts on social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok and soon to be Twitter). Thank you very much for following the needs of the families we serve.
