Tag: charlotte church

Pastor Adalberto Hernandez began receiving calls from his congregants shortly after Border Patrol arrived in Charlotte this month.

At first, they’d tell him they were staying home from work and school out of fear they could be swept up in detentions. But as the days pressed on, a new threat emerged: hunger.

Staying home cost Latino and immigrant families wages they need to pay bills. And many feared even a trip to the grocery store could put them in harm’s way, knowing that federal agents had targeted markets.

People were running out of money, food and necessities, said Marleny Hernandez, whose husband is the pastor of Tabernaculo de Gracia in Archdale.

Her church began offering grocery runs for its congregants. In just seven days, that gesture of kindness ballooned into a full-time, multi-organization effort to keep as many community members fed as possible.

The church has assembled and delivered more than 300 boxes of food as of Wednesday, Marleny Hernandez said. Volunteers are calling it “Operación Esparanza” — translated “Operation Hope.”

Southwest Charlotte community bands together to feed its own

Anna Hernandez woke up to the sound of car horns blaring outside her Nations Ford home on Nov. 15. A minute went by. Two minutes. Five, 10.

The unwelcome noise seemed to go on forever. She peeked outside to trace the source, to no avail.

Then, she said, it hit her.

“The feeling of guilt that I felt to realize that I woke up annoyed at the sound of the community alerting each other,” Anna Hernandez said. “People were making noise to alert each other that (Border Patrol members) were in the area.”

Anna Hernandez quickly mobilized support in any way she could.

She’s a volunteer with Transforming Nations Ford, a community development nonprofit founded by Councilwoman-elect Joi Mayo. With Mayo’s approval, Anna Hernandez began a fundraising campaign through the nonprofit to help purchase essential items.

Then, she connected with her friends at Tabernaculo de Gracia and other nonprofits to pool their resources. Anna Hernandez is a friend of the pastor’s daughters but has no blood relation to the family.

Kayla Neal, one of roughly 100 volunteers, began calling around to hotels, grocery stores and retailers to see if they could spare any items for the cause. She’s collected pies, sandwiches and soaps from businesses wanting to help.

It’s been tireless work, with some volunteers reporting 14-hour days of unpaid charity. Sara Hernandez, one of the pastor’s daughters, said the term “labor of love” has been floated to describe what they’re doing, but that doesn’t feel quite right.

“This has really been a labor of grief,” Sara Hernandez said. “The grief that we feel for losing our community members. The fear and terror that our community experiences because of immigration’s presence. There’s still love present in that grief, love for our community and love for our brothers and sisters and the city of Charlotte.”

The Department of Homeland Security said Border Patrol arrested more than 370 people in the Charlotte area between Nov. 15-20, when local officials said the operation had ended. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will continue working in the city.

The family behind Tabernaculo de Gracia

Marleny and Adalberto Hernandez are both first-generation immigrants who moved to the United States as teenagers.

Marleny was the youngest of nine children in El Salvador. Her oldest siblings fled to the U.S. in the late ‘70s during the country’s civil war.

Her mother was worried about her safety because children were being kidnapped from their homes, she recalled. Her mom moved her from town to town to protect her, but eventually decided it was best to send her out of the country when she was 13.

Marleny Hernandez lived in the country as an undocumented refugee for decades, she said, until she became a legal permanent resident in 2001 after a long and difficult process. She became a citizen in 2021.

“We understand when people are in need of basic things. And as a church, we are called to provide for the needs of people,” Marleny Hernandez said.

Adalberto Hernandez began preaching in the Nations Ford and Archdale area 18 years ago. They were supposed to have an 18th anniversary celebration the same weekend the Border Patrol came to town.

Their efforts in the past two weeks have touched lives across international lines, Sara Hernandez said.

They’ve received voice memos from people in Central America who rely on their loved ones in Charlotte for support, thanking the church for providing milk to their grandchildren.

“My parents’ faith is beyond just singing songs on a Sunday and preaching a sermon,” Sara Hernandez said. “It’s going out into the world and to our communities and serving people the best we can.”

How to give and receive help

Individuals in need of help can text “apoyo,” which translates to “support,” to the church line at 704-312-2117. A volunteer will then reach out to collect information over a phone call. Delivery drivers are bilingual and can communicate with recipients.

Those looking to support can donate items, time or money. Rice, beans, sugar, baby wipes, diapers, ramen and maseca are especially needed.

Transforming Nations Ford is accepting physical donations as we as online monetary donations.

Tabernaculo de Gracia and its volunteers took a two-day break following Wednesday’s deliveries to regroup and strategize for a sustainable operation moving forward, Sara Hernandez said. Many volunteers, including herself, took multiple days off of work to help out.

“Amidst the anger, frustration and grief that we’re experiencing, there is hope that’s come through,” Sara Hernandez said.

“This is us actively loving our neighbors.”

This story was originally published November 27, 2025 at 6:00 AM.