DENVER — For the past six months, a Denver man has been helping new immigrant families eat home-cooked meals.
Arthur Infante said he has been building temporary kitchens since November for newcomers living in encampments around the city.
“If I were in their shoes, I would think it would be great if someone could help,” Infante said.
Denver 7
Families were moved to a shelter off the coast of Zuni earlier this month after the last encampment Infante was helping in Denver's Central Park neighborhood was cleared.
Infante got in touch with city officials and received permission to set up a temporary kitchen in the shelter's parking lot.
He said about eight to 10 families use the shelter for lunch and dinner every day.
Arthur Infante
“I just bring the ingredients and they do the rest,” Infante said. “When my kids learn to cook for themselves, it gives them a sense of dignity and pride.”
Infante's efforts are also a way of keeping the memory of her late mother, Connie, alive.
“My mom was always cooking for people. This is to honor her. So we just called it 'Mom's Kitchen.' It's just a place where you can cook,” he said.
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Aleinis Ochoa, who emigrated from Venezuela two weeks ago, said she and other shelter users keep their kitchens clean and organized.
“Honestly, I'm very grateful for what he did for us,” Ochoa said in Spanish.
There's no set timeline for how long the kitchen will be in place, but Infante said they'll continue to help these families as long as they can.
Denver man provides makeshift kitchen for migrant families at city shelter
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