By Cecily Jackson
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Hundreds of immigrants who no longer get regular paychecks because fear of the coronavirus forced job closures or cutbacks enjoyed tasty Easter meals Sunday, thanks to community activists who organized a food and basic good drive specifically for them.
“Right now is a time for unity,” said Alejandra Ivanovich who partnered with Amigos of Baltimore County to distribute collected food items Saturday afternoon at Sacred Heart of Glyndon, an unincorporated community in the northwest section of Baltimore County.
“African Americans and Latinos are the targeted communities in our society, and it doesn’t have to be that way,” said Ivanovich. “I’m a mom and I want to make the world a better place for my children.”
Baltimore County officials said on Tuesday 1,400 families were served during the food drive. Joining the volunteers was Archbishop William Lori of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
The idea for the food drive for immigrants started with a phone call.
“A single mom with five children called me,” Ivanovich told The Baltimore Watchdog in an interview. “She has been laid off for a month already, but when she called me it was two weeks since she was laid off.
“She, at the time, didn’t have any food or anything for her children. Her story broke my heart and I remember packing my car in the driveway. I started praying and crying and that’s when I was inspired. I was praying to God. This was not the first phone call I got. I didn’t know what I could do. My people are hungry.”
Ivanovich started reaching out to people she knew. Then, she started contacting people in the government for help with starting a food drive for immigrants.
“I said ‘ok if the food is not getting to them, then you get that food to them,’ ” she said. “Then, I will be the bridge to connect the people who are in need with the food. Immigrants.”
Ivanovich said she reached out to leaders in Baltimore County and made videos to post on her Baltimore County page about raising money for food for the many families in need during this difficult time. Soon, she began to receive donations.
Nancy Smith of The Maryland Food Bank and Christopher Dipnarine, director of 4MYCITY LLC, were two big contributors who assured the success of the food drive.
“Alejandra you know, her heart was in the right place and I knew it from the beginning,” said Smith. “I knew she was serving so many families and a lot of them were probably of Spanish descent and were afraid to ask for help.
“She stepped up and she was the ringleader of this effort,” Smith added. “How can you not help someone like that, especially during this very difficult time and Easter week.”
The Maryland Food Bank delivered tons of food for the families in need.
“I got the big truck for her and I loaded it up with produce and vegetables and stuff,” said Dipnarine, who provided technical help and guidance. “Probably took about two other van loads of miscellaneous goods, can goods, peanut butter and jelly and today I dropped off van loads of meat for her.”
Dipnarine added, “I walked through with Alejandra on how to handle the food and making sure her volunteers are abiding by health and safety guidelines to make sure the food is distributed in the right way.”
As needy families drove by the church at 65 Sacred Heart Lane, volunteers distributed the food items in drive-thru style while following social distancing guidelines to ensure the safety of everyone during this pandemic.
A recent article in The New England Journal of Medicine said undocumented immigrants have been hit the hardest by business closures and stay-at-home orders. Many immigrants work in service industries such as restaurants and hotels, or in the informal economy. Researchers estimate 7.1 million undocumented immigrants lack health insurance and 8.3 million U.S. children live in households with at least one non-citizen.