KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A Kansas City, Kansas, couple is serving people in Wyandotte County out of their homes and onto social media.
Jalynda and Martin Cervantes will tell you it’s not a nonprofit, but run through a Facebook group called Wyandotte Angels.
“We never thought it would take off as it did,” Jalynda Cervantes said.
The Cervantes’ began outreach work during the pandemic.
“I would go, ‘Martin that was great, but these people are still hungry,’" she said.
From that greater need, they built the Wyandotte Angels.
The group now has 2,600 members, who the Cervantes call their angels.
Posts about hygiene, food, or clothing needs turn up and they deliver.
So far they say they’ve helped more than 10,000 around Wyandotte County.
“The laundry room has the tower of ramen, the garage has the overflow of vegetables and the coffee bar has the overflow of cereal,” she said. “I’m always posting out things we need every day.”
Briona Walton, a Wyandotte Angels recipient reflected on how the Cervantes' generosity has impacted her.
“Jalynda and Martin are great, every request I’ve made they’ve been here,” Walton said. “There’s been times when I’ve needed food and they came with the food box the next day.”
“My kids were in foster care and the only way they could have an overnight with me is if I have beds for them to sleep in,” Walton said. “I haven’t been able to sleep next to my kids for two years, so it was really important for me to find that.”
When they needed that help it was there.
“They show love and we need love,” Walton said. “When they brought those beds for my kids I realized oh my gosh, I actually have hope in my future they brought me hope to my doorstep and that’s what I needed at the time.”
Hope, fulfilling more than just those who receive.
“I needed a purpose in life, when this took off like it did, I started feeling better,” Cervantes said. “This doesn’t pay us anything, it just is our God job and our gratitude. This is our home and we want to help others in our community.”
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