“I really feel like I’m helping my community during this crisis.”
By Clara Torres, Food Service Worker, Dorsey High School
Clara Torres – 30 years of feeding the body and mind of LAUSD students.
The pandemic has shut down schools but every morning Food Service Worker Clara Torres leaves home at 5:45am to do a job she’s done for more than 30 years with the Los Angeles Unified School District. Of course, things are a little different now, but Clara says her job has always been about taking care of students and the community.
Every day, Clara and other food service workers practice social distancing as they package salads, fruit, nutrition bars, milk and other items for delivery to families at Dorsey High School’s grab-and-go center. “We prepare 3000 meals each day,” says Clara. “And sometimes we have to run back into the cafeteria to prepare more because we run out.” She has noticed how, as the quarantine period has been extended, more families are coming to the center. “The lines are already forming by 7:30 am and I see many elderly people walking over to pick-up a meal.” It doesn’t surprise her, she says, because even during “normal” times, the need has always been great. “Students have told me that they don’t have food at home.”
Is she concerned about exposure to the virus? Clara says she’s careful and is sure to always wear a mask and gloves. Plus, more than ever, she understands how a simple meal can offer some comfort. “I love to work, and I really feel like I’m helping my community during this crisis.”
