“When we gave them food they said, ‘what do we owe you,’ When we told them, not a thing, they were surprised and said, ‘really?’” – Medina’s Tri Tip

Tamales

The two owners of Medina’s Tri Tip Company stood at the front of the room. I didn’t know who they were, or why they were attending our meeting. There was a medium sized table just to their left side. It would have seated six people with two on each side, punctuated by another two, on at each end.  But, that wasn’t the reason for the table in the front.

Even when I saw the extra-large cooler sitting on top of the table I didn’t know why the Medinas were standing, waiting. Being curious I let my eyes scan the rest of the table. That’s when I noticed black plastic carry bags and some white carry-out containers sitting next to the cooler. It was all starting to come together in my mind because I took a moment to look to my left and then scan the rest of the room.

The audience was seated at round table dotted with a scattering of paper plates. And, on these plates were partially and currently being eaten tamales.

“In 2020,” one of the owners of Medina’s Tri Tip Company said, “we began to notice that people we knew were really struggling. Many people we knew were no longer able to work. Their businesses had been shut down.”

She went on to tell us of the one day, when someone they knew well, had come into their restaurant to talk. They looked hungry; very hungry.

“When we gave them food they said, ‘what do we owe you,’ When we told them, not a thing, they were surprised and said, ‘really?’” She said.

That was the moment the Medinas came up with a plan to help their beleaguered neighbors. Yes, they would still give food to their friends and their families. But, they knew they could do more.

“We talked to teachers in our local school and asked them to let us know of children who didn’t have food,” She said. “We began to make tamales in our home to give them good, and much needed food to eat.”

The next part of their plan came about when they received the Christmas list of a child from one of their teacher partners.

“The list contained a couple of small toys,” She explained. “But, what really hit us in the heart was the word ‘food’ right at the top.”

That was the beginning of “Tamales For Toys.” 

“Our whole family began spending evenings pressing Tamales and we put out a flyer saying ‘We will be selling tamales on a preorder basis so we can raise money to provide food and toys to our neighbors in need,” the Medinas said with a smile, as they told us about the start of their project.

Now, in their third year of this project, they’ve been joined by many more school teachers as well as their city’s fire department. Others have been donating the ingredients for the tamale construction.

“Our city fire fighters make a special delivery of hot tamales and other Christmas gifts to each household we share with.” They said before Mr. Medina walked over to the large cooler sitting on that table in the front of the room. “If you would like to help please come up and purchase some tamales.”

And, we did. The round meeting tables were soon standing empty, encircled by fittingly empty chairs. There was now a line to purchase tamales at that front table. I was near the end of that long, snaking line.

By the time I got to the cooler to purchase tamales, they were gone. Luckily, the opportunity was not gone, as I was able to pre-order tamales for another delivery date. The two owners of Medina’s Tri Tip Company were still standing with me at the front of the room ready to take my order. I knew who they were and why they were selling tamales at the medium sized table just to their left. The table would have seated six people with two on each side, punctuated by another two, one at each end.  But, that wasn’t the real reason for the table in the front.

That table was there to let us know that we could help to fill the empty tables of our neighbors with food, joy, hope, and tamales made with and given in love.

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