DENVER — Ten years ago, Donna Lucero could not afford to put food on her table. Now, she's giving back to the same food pantry that helped feed her during those troubling times.
"It's just wonderful to be on the other end, on the giving end versus the receiving end," Lucero said, reflecting on how she got involved with Community Ministry of Southwest Denver. "We heard about this place from a church, and we came, and we were just overwhelmed by the kindness."
"Her heart is made of gold," is a phrase volunteers and clients use to describe Lucero. It's what made Community Ministry staff nominate her for Denver7's Everyday Hero.
Not only did Lucero face barriers when it came to affording food, but she has also used a wheelchair for as long as she can remember.
"I was injured when I was six months old, a gunshot wound. I was paralyzed. I've been paralyzed from the waist down my whole life," she said.
But that never stopped her from chasing her dreams.
"Mom and dad always told me, 'You're not any different. You can do what everybody else does.' And that's the world that I grew up in," she said. "I even learned how to swim. I learned how to scuba dive. That was really something."
And it's not stopping her now.
"As long as I can come in, as long as I have the hands to push this chair, I'm going to come in and help," she said.
It's the trait Joyce Neufeld, the executive director of Community Ministry, admires most about Lucero.
"She didn't let her disability stand in the way of her volunteering, which is really cool. Her showing other people that you can still do things no matter what situation you're in has really been a testament to us for resilience and willingness to give," Neufeld said.
Neufeld said that mentality is needed now more than ever.
"When I first started here, we would see about 20 to 30 families a day. Now, we see up to 113 families a day. The main growth has been over the past two years, where we've seen a 70% increase in the number of people," Neufeld added.
According to Feed America, more than 671,340 people are facing hunger, and 172,280 are children.
You can join Lucero in her mission to help the hungry by volunteering at Community Ministry or your local food bank.
"I love Community Ministries, they are people that are a family. For anybody that anyone wants to come in and volunteer, we can always use your help," Lucero said.
Community Ministry accepts monetary donations if you can't volunteer your time. You can donate here.
Denver7 features a different Everyday Hero each week. To nominate a hero in your life, click here.