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Erika Aguirre

East Boston

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“My father always told me that one hand washes the other.” Erika Aguirre explained why she volunteers at the ABCD East Boston Area Planning Action Council (APAC): “At the time, I wasn’t working much and I needed Fuel Assistance during the winter,” she said. “When my circumstances improved a few years later, I went back to help at their food access center. I feel welcome at the East Boston APAC.”

 

Erika helps with programs like Fuel Assistance, YEA!, and food insecurity and provides office assistance. She also volunteers with Cradles to Crayons on a quarterly basis and brought her three daughters (then 12, four and two) along to participate. “I feel like the most important thing is to teach my daughters about helping. It’s the meaning of life and it gives you purpose,” she said.

 

A native of Guatemala, Erika came to the United States in 2008 and has lived in East Boston for 16 years. She said, “I love the people and feel welcome and not alone. East Boston has lots of diversity.”

 

Of being nominated as a 2024 ABCD Community Hero, Erika said that she feels, “blessed, grateful, thankful and kind of surprised.”

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