Spotlight on Pastor Nuñez

When you are a leader in the church, you give people a vision so that they can carry the vision through to the people of the community. I always tell people, the best thing you can do is help another person because when you do, you become important to that person and focus less on your own problems.

“I try my best to help others. I’m disabled now and unable to work, so I volunteer and inspire others through my words. I am a substance abuse counselor and pastor by trade. I was a pastor at a church until 2013, where we had a full food pantry that served the community. We served up to 10,000 people per month. The need was high. But so was the rent. So we moved the church to a school and received food from City Harvest, food banks and a federal program. We did a lot in the community at the time. I was a preacher at the church until 2020 when it closed in March due to Covid. We moved the Arc of Salvation Church (Arco de Salvacion in Spanish) to 240 East Tremont in the Bronx, where we are today. I met Dan and Mott Haven Fridge soon after, and we formed a group that collects the food and serves it to the community. The food is so fresh—so many fruits and vegetables. Which is important because there is so much need in the community, so much need. We put baskets of food together each week—sometimes up to 170 baskets—but it’s never enough. We see the need in the community, and we try to do the best we can for the people. It doesn’t matter my condition, my past trauma, how I feel today, what I used to be able to do that I can’t now. When you are a leader in the church, you give people a vision so that they can carry the vision through to the people of the community. I always tell people, the best thing you can do is help another person because when you do, you become important to that person and focus less on your own problems.”