SPOTLIGHTS

La Paz Chattanooga’s mission is to empower and engage Chattanooga’s Latinx community through advocacy, education, and inclusion. “Our organization believes that the Latino community in Chattanooga matters,” says Vivian Lozano, Director of Social Impact. The organization’s work is client-led, attuned to the needs and desires of the community. They work with the Chattanooga School of Language to provide English as a Second Language classes and the UTC Center for Professional Education to help people obtain professional medical licenses so they may access higher-paying jobs. One of their largest and most popular programs, Tech Goes Home, is a product of their partnership with The Enterprise Center, during which individuals receive digital literacy lessons and a personal Chromebook to keep at the end of the program. Much of Vivian’s work involves advocating for the Latino community across the city, working with Chattanooga organizations to locate barriers the community is facing and then providing equitable access to certain services. In 2020, the food bank became an official partner of La Paz as the pandemic brought to light the harsh realities of food insecurity across Chattanooga and its effect on the city’s Latino population. The food bank established mass distribution days at La Paz and served anywhere between 150-200 families each time. In 2021, La Paz moved into their new space on Willow Street, a renovated firehouse that allows for expansion at every level of their organization, including a permanent food pantry. “We built the new building with a food pantry in mind,” Vivian says. “It’s wonderful to see the work that everyone is doing to ensure that people are connected, and if there aren’t resources for it, then how do we find it, how do we work together to ensure that people aren’t being left behind.” La Paz will be hosting their annual Block Party, a celebration of music, food, and the Latinx community in Chattanooga, on June 11th from 1-4pm at 809 S Willow Street.

AfterMarilyn Smith

retired from a 28-year career in Special Education at Hamilton County Schools, she set out to achieve one of her longtime goals: learning to garden. She started as an apprentice with the Hamilton County Master Gardeners in 2012, receiving instruction on how to plant, harvest, and work the soil. She praises the apprenticeship and says the partnership between the Master Gardeners and the food bank has provided her with the opportunities to achieve her goal and to give back to the community. “When I first started there was very little fresh produce donated to the food bank…That’s changed quite a bit, but that was certainly our mission, to provide fresh produce,” she says. In addition to sorting seed packets, repotting seedlings in the greenhouse, and harvesting crops from the raised beds, Marilyn also sings in the First-Centenary United Methodist choir and is an avid supporter of the St. Louis Cardinals.

John Carr Whitmer is our new Director of Philanthropy in Northwest Georgia. Born and raised outside Detroit, John’s life was highly influenced by the automotive industry. Prior to his move to the non-profit world, John was a National Sales and Account Manager for multiple manufacturing companies, living and traveling all over the country. He met his wife Jeannette while living in Phoenix and they raised their kids, Courtney, Megan, and Tim in Southern California. John and Jeannette have been Calhoun residents since relocating to Georgia in 2003. He’s a member of Rockbridge Community Church and cherishes the time spent with his grandchildren and houseful of pets.

Heirloom Tomatoes with Peaches, Goat Cheese, and Pecans

1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tbsp brown sugar, packed

2 tbsp olive oil

1/8 tsp salt

1 large peach, peeled and diced

2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

2 lbs heirloom tomatoes, sliced

3 oz goat cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Arrange tomatoes on a plate, mostly flat but overlapping some.

Whisk vinegar, garlic, sugar, oil, and salt together. Stir in peach and basil, then spoon mixture over tomatoes.

Top with goat cheese and pecans, serve.