Sinclair Cares: Fill the Food Banks

by Sinclair, Inc.

Tue, November 18th 2025 at 3:00 PM

Loretta has spent nearly two decades turning meals into moments of comfort at Mercy Kitchen, located in Wyandanch, New York. As a cook and caretaker, she’s more than just a staff member; she’s a source of warmth and connection for everyone who walks through the doors. “I cook, I clean, and I talk with everybody,” Loretta says. “I just love feeding people and making them happy.”Mercy Kitchen is supported by Long Island Cares, a Feeding America partner food bank, and serves as a vital resource for the community, offering hot meals and a welcoming atmosphere. For Loretta, the work she does is about more than food. “When I cook, I cook with love,” she says. “I don’t just throw things together. I make comforting meals—fried chicken, baked macaroni and cheese, Spanish food, even Chinese food. I want to give them meals that make them feel good.”Loretta’s journey at Mercy Kitchen began in 2006 when she first volunteered through the Department of Labor. “There was a lady here who had medical issues and couldn’t always be around,” she explains. “I stepped up to help, and eventually, they asked me if I wanted to work here. I said yes, and I’ve been here ever since.”Her passion for cooking is matched only by her deep care for the people she serves. “I’ve been through hard times myself, and I have family members who’ve struggled,” Loretta shares. “Some of the people who come here talk to me about their problems, and I can relate to them. It makes me proud to know I’m able to uplift them, feed them, and make them feel better.”Loretta sees food as a powerful tool for connection and healing. “Food is a comfort,” she says. “You could be going through something, and having your favorite food can make you feel better. I think it’s the same for a lot of the people who come here.”At Mercy Kitchen, Loretta’s generous spirit shines through her work. “They always tell me, ‘You’ve got to portion things out,’ but I have a heavy hand,” she laughs. “I want to make sure they’re good, not just with food but with everything. It’s not

“The first moment that I started to plant a seed here in Oregon, it was something exciting because in my country, I did it with my parents when I was little. It is a culture that one already carries in the heart, in the blood—one where you are accustomed to growing your own food,” said Maxi Hernández.That memory and tradition became the foundation of her farm, Mr. Farms — also known as Maxi Reyes Farms — where she now grows fresh food with a mission. “Here we are, working hard to be able to feed our community and our families,” she said.Her passion grew during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when grocery store shelves were bare. “What inspired me to launch myself into a project bigger than a community garden was seeing the need in the community, especially when COVID happened—when all the stores were empty,” Maxi said. “We didn’t have vegetables anywhere. During that time, I had a small garden which thankfully to that garden, my family and I were able to survive. We were also able to share with neighbors, going door to door, offering small bags of vegetables from my garden.”As she shared food, Maxi also noticed that many families had limited access to fresh produce. “What I noticed in the community was that we received a lot of canned food. Within Latino culture, we like to eat fresh produce, especially if they are freshly cut and have those fresh smells. I noticed we were lacking this. People sometimes said, ‘no, we don’t eat the canned food’— so food was being wasted as well,” she said. “It challenged me to begin something meaningful to help feed the community,” said Maxi.Food insecurity affects nearly 14 million Latinos in the United States. Out of the 47 million people facing hunger nationwide, Latino communities experience some of the highest barriers to fresh, healthy food — challenges that can vary widely depending on immigration status, length of time in the U.S. and country of origin.Those challenges pushed her to connect with Oregon Food Bank, a Feeding America partner food bank. “The

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Sinclair Cares: Fill the Food Banks

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HELP NOW

Sinclair is partnering with Feeding America this holiday season for Sinclair Cares: Fill the Food Banks to help provide meals to families across the United States.

All contributions will directly benefit the donor’s local community. Donations will go to the Feeding America food bank in the same ZIP code associated with the contributing credit card.

Every $1 donated helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of local partner food banks.

“The holiday season can be especially difficult for families facing food insecurity, through Sinclair Cares: Fill the Food Banks, we’re uniting our local stations and viewers to make a real impact in their own communities,” said Rob Weisbord, Chief Operating Officer and President of Local Media at Sinclair. “Together, we can help ensure that every family has a meal on the table for the holidays.”

To donate to Feeding America, click here.

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