This National Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15 – Oct. 15, Food For The Poor is excited to highlight our Hispanic team members who are dedicated to our mission of supporting those in need throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
U.S. Government Career Paved the Way for Jesus Nuñez Rueda To Join FFTP in Honduras
Born and raised in Tegucigalpa, the capital city of Honduras, Jesus Nuñez Rueda, enjoyed nearly 20 years of employment in the U.S. government, working in the Peace Corps, Department of State, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) before joining Food For The Poor (FFTP).
Jesus worked for the Department of State from 2004 to 2007 and, from there, he went on to work for the Peace Corps until 2011. He returned to the Department of State in 2012, and later joined USAID in 2014. It was during his time with USAID that he first encountered FFTP through his collaboration with CEPUDO, the charity’s longstanding in-country partner.
“Part of my job in USAID was to create a network of boys’ and girls’ clubs or community centers, in vulnerable communities that are challenged by poverty and gang activity,” he said. “We partnered with CEPUDO on those projects, and that’s how I learned about Food For The Poor in 2014.”
He also witnessed CEPUDO’s efforts to build homes for impoverished families, create job training programs, and offer various solutions to help those in need through its collaboration with FFTP.
“I said to myself, ‘that’s an organization that would be ideal for me,’” he said. “And dreams do come true.”
When considering the FFTP theme for Hispanic Heritage Month – Pioneers of Change: Shaping the future together through unity, resilience and innovation – Jesus reflects on his life and the resilience it required for him to be successful. Although he is enjoying his dream job today as an FFTP team member, Jesus has had his share of challenges.
His parents divorced when he was a child, causing enough stress in his young life that he lost one year of schooling. Years later, during his second year of college, he dropped out of school to marry his girlfriend, Yalile Maldonado, in a civil ceremony when they learned they had a baby on the way.
His resilience paid off. Jesus eventually earned his undergraduate degree in international business at National Autonomous University of Honduras in 2004 and his master’s degree in local development and tourism at the Universidad Tecnológica Centroamericana in 2009. In between degrees, he and Yalile went on to have the Catholic wedding of their dreams in 2006, and today, they are a loving family of six.
After graduation, Jesus worked in sales, selling cars, vitamins, and credit cards, trying to make a living to support his growing family. Within time, he was able to use his degree in international business as a stepping stone to his career in government.
“As a salesperson, you’re going out knocking on doors trying to get customers and you must have patience because you receive a lot of ‘no’s,’ and you must wait for the ‘yes’ and finalize the sale,” he said. “So, for me, it was a blessing to secure a stable job in the U.S. government and it was a great ride.”
Jesus worked at the USAID/Honduras Democracy Governance office from June 2014 until September 2023. During his tenure as a project management specialist, he focused primarily on youth violence and crime prevention initiatives. He quickly moved up the ranks, earning the admiration and respect of his colleagues along the way.
While he loved his work, Jesus began to yearn for a change. He ultimately decided to leave in search of a position that would still allow him to serve those in need within a faith-based organization.
He spent the next nine months freelancing as a consultant for small nongovernmental organizations, providing interpreting services and teaching graduate classes at his alma matter until he landed at FFTP as the U.S. Government Programs Manager in June 2024.
Jesus is one of 16 people who work in Honduras for FFTP. His work experience at the USAID prepared him for his new position, which includes managing USAID-funded FFTP programs in Guatemala, Jamaica, and El Salvador.
“It’s the best decision that I could have made; I feel blessed and very happy,” he said, reflecting on joining FFTP. “I truly embrace the vision of Food For The Poor, and I’m inspired by our leadership. I’m having the time of my life.”
For Ana Duarte, working at FFTP builds a stronger connection to her Colombian roots
Born in Arlington, Va., and raised in Boca Raton, Fla., Ana Duarte proudly traces her roots to Colombia, a country she’s never visited, but that nonetheless has helped to shape her into the person she is today.
“I grew up with my mom, my aunt, and my grandma, who are all Colombian women that were raised in Colombia,” said Ana, Church Alliances Outreach and Engagement Coordinator at Food For The Poor (FFTP). “It was a Spanish-speaking household, very traditional Colombian, God-centered, and immersed in Colombian culture.”
When considering the FFTP theme for Hispanic Heritage Month – Pioneers of Change: Shaping the future together through unity, resilience, and innovation – Ana immediately thinks of her mother, Annette. The youngest of nine children who grew up on a farm in a small town in Colombia and later made her way as a single mom in the United States, Annette didn’t let her circumstances define her life.
“My mom’s resilience is something that has always stuck with me and definitely shaped who I am,” Ana said. “Growing up on the farm, she worked with her hands, and she knew the importance of hard work. She always tried to support her family and even when things were not easy, she never quit. I owe all of what I am today to her.”
She credits her mother, aunt, and grandmother with keeping her connected to her Colombian roots, whether it’s by sharing the music of Juanes and Carlos Vives, enjoying popular Colombian dishes, such as pan de bono, arroz con pollo, fried yuca, and Colombiana sodas, or watching Colombian teams play soccer on TV.
When Ana was 2 years old, she moved with her mom, aunt, and grandmother to South Florida, where she would ultimately begin a series of firsts in her family: First to get a driver’s license, first to graduate high school, and first to earn a college degree. While at Boca Raton High School, Ana was introduced to FFTP when she participated in food-packing events the charity hosted at Advent Lutheran Church and Florida Atlantic University (FAU), both in Boca Raton, with longtime partner Feed My Starving Children.
“My best friend’s father and his company were participating in a packing event, and he wanted his family to come along,” she said. “I was glued to my best friend’s side, so I joined them. We had so much fun – I loved the event, and I loved everything that we accomplished that day.”
Ana went on to graduate high school and attend FAU and major in social work, with the goal of pursuing a career where she could help others. She wanted to work at a Christian nonprofit and began her online job search, unsure of where she might ultimately land.
“One day I refreshed the LinkedIn job search page and Food For The Poor came up, and I thought the name sounded familiar,” Ana said. “I told my best friend about it, and she was, like, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s where we did those packing events.’”
Ana applied immediately and two interviews later she was hired, first as an administrative assistant for Special Events and later in Church Alliances, where she works to introduce young people to FFTP and its mission. Working at FFTP has done more than fulfill Ana’s calling to work at a Christian nonprofit.
She’s bonding with colleagues who grew up in Colombia, and she’s brushing up on her Spanish, which she spoke as a child but lost her proficiency as she began communicating in English at school. Most of all, Ana has found comfort in the FFTP mission and its impact on impoverished families in her family’s home country.
“I really love the values we stand by – United in God’s Work – and so happy to work with an organization that serves the country where my mother was raised because it ties everything together,” she said. “It feels in a way like it brought my life full circle.”