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Marcos Tlacopilco, Ignacio “Nacho” Flores and Alma Romero
When thieves stole two trucks that served three Mexican restaurants in Philadelphia last summer, those spots were hit hard. Marcos Tlacopilco and his wife Alma Romero used their truck to get supplies for their restaurants, Marco’s Fish Market & Crab House and Alma del Mar, and Ignacio “Nacho” Flores needed his truck to effectively operate Los Taquitos de Puebla.
But the community did not want to lose these restaurants and stepped up to help.
“We are local South Philly neighbors, and we put together this GoFundMe to help our friends get their businesses back on their feet!” wrote organizers on their GoFundMe page. “Alma, Marcos, and Nacho are an amazing, beloved part of the Southeast Philly community and they have worked so hard to build their businesses, brands, and customer base. We want to see them back on track and able to keep building -- for all of us!”
The campaign worked. Not only did the effort raise over $22,000 from 341 people, but the owners also got lots of love in the comments section of the GoFundMe page:
“I want you guys to know you have support,” wrote one donor. “There are so many people who appreciate you and your hard work in your business. I hope you’re able to find or replace your truck and I’m praying for you and your family!”
Another wrote: “This is devastating and breaks my heart. Don’t worry the community will come together for you. Praying for your safety and for your business to flourish!”
With the money from the campaign, plus additional help from the city’s Department of Commerce, the owners were able to replace the vehicles. The GoFundMe campaign was concluded at the end of January.
Tlacopilco wrote this message on the GoFundMe page as the campaign ended:
“WE DID IT. We want to thank all the participants, those who helped with the least or the most. We saw the power of our community, we felt it first hand. It gave us a light to keep working as usual, and maybe better. Thanks to your support, we were able to get a new vehicle to continue our business, our whole family is very grateful for your contribution during this difficult time.”
Click here to read more about this in an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer
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