Hispanic Heritage Month: David Orellana

This Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re highlighting some of our amazing staff. First up: David Orellana. David is our Associate Food Service & Pantry Manager and has been working at CHiPS since April 2023. 

“When I first applied to the job [at CHiPS], I seriously thought it was just going to be making soup… but I came to visit and I saw that it was so much more than that. And seeing the people lined up, and for me, coming from a background of working in food, I knew it was something that was needed, so here I am… Working at CHiPS, just handing over a plate of food and hearing thank you for being here, thank you for being outside, it’s simple, and I know that I’m doing something right.” 

David was born in the Bronx, and his parents both hail from Ecuador. He generally visits Ecuador once a year. 

“Hispanic Heritage Month is a time for just a little more recognition. Hispanic people are hard-working people, always trying to help, always reliable. That’s something I’m proud of. Everyone is different, everyone has their own culture, but there are a lot of similarities too. So it’s cool to get to see both.” 

In reflecting on his two and a half years at CHiPS, David recounted a story about a guest struggling with mental illness: “He was shouting, screaming, and we went over and said we’re gonna figure it out, we’re listening, and once we helped him out, once we started listening to him and caring for his needs, he really started to calm down. And now when he comes, he’s really calm, he’s not so agitated, because he knows we’ll listen. People just want to be listened to. They want to see that you hear them and care about what they need.” 

At CHiPS, we’re endlessly grateful to have David on our staff. Thank you, David, for all that you do!