Twenty years ago, when Latoya Moppins had no job and no money, she vowed that one day she would do everything she could to help people.
All she needed was a way. And pickles were it.
“I never in a million years imagined that pickles would bring any sort of togetherness,” she said.
Moppins’ business, Glorious Gherkins, is now booming.
Her flavored pickles can be found in all 50 states, foreign countries and even at Globe Life Field.
Thanks to her success, she has kept the promise she made while she was homeless.
Moppins regularly gives back to others who are experiencing homelessness, and she said it’s needed now more than ever.
Every week since the pandemic began, Moppins has spent time with those who are homeless. She’s joined by volunteers from Angels with Open Arms, Anderson’s Helping Hands, Kids of Oak Cliff, SportsCon, Dee's Pies and many others.
They hand out food, toiletries and other essentials. But more importantly, they are there to cure loneliness.
Long before social distancing, many were already keeping homeless people at arm’s length.
Moppins said that kind of neglect, especially right now, can be demoralizing.
She knows because, before she had a successful business, she had nothing.
“I know that feeling,” she said, referring to the five years she spent homeless. “I know that feeling of desperation and people making you feel worthless and not good enough. Just because people are homeless does not mean they’re animals. They deserve the same type of love and treatment.”
Sometimes when you’ve got nothing, being loved is everything.
Moppins said if this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that our health and our happiness are at its best when we live for each other.
“It should be showing you that you should be doing it too. Yeah, that’s it. You should be doing that too.”