It’s early Thursday morning, and La Cosecha staff and volunteers are busy setting up for the day. Soon, hundreds of cars will wind around the block for the weekly drive-thru grocery distribution, where each family will receive approximately $100 worth of food.
La Cosecha, which is Spanish for “the harvest,” grew from a simple yet powerful idea. Rita Gallardo and a small group of volunteers began sharing food with those in need in 2015. What started as a grassroots act of kindness has now become a major operation, serving 2,000 families every week.
“We sow seeds of hope and dignity,” Rita said, “and watch as people return to give back.”
Throughout the distribution, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Nick Oxford snapped photos for United Way Worldwide. His mission was to capture the powerful human stories at the heart of La Cosecha, stories like Lorena Acosta’s. Her journey with La Cosecha began during the pandemic, when she received food for her family.
“La Cosecha made such a huge difference,” she said. “I was so grateful for everything we received that I wanted to find a way to give back.”
To help sustain and expand La Cosecha’s work, Tulsa Area United Way awarded La Cosecha a $45,000 Social Innovations Grant in late 2023. Beyond funding, the grant offers access to valuable training, capacity-building resources, and the TAUW network.
On that Thursday morning in May 2025, Morton Comprehensive Health Services, a TAUW nonprofit partner, brought its mobile health unit to offer free A1-C and blood pressure checks. Emergency Infant Services was also on hand, distributing essentials like diapers and formula. And each La Cosecha grocery box included information about TAUW’s 211 Eastern Oklahoma helpline, connecting families to a broader support network.
As the line of cars moved steadily through the drive-thru, long-time volunteer Diane Kempf worked alongside others, packing food boxes with care. In addition to helping at the site each week, she also delivers La Cosecha groceries to homebound seniors in her hometown, Hulbert.
Reflecting on what keeps her coming back, Diane smiled and simply said, “Their motivation is love.”