Our Mission
To provide immigrant families the foundation for a healthy lifestyle by developing culturally responsive programs that address their needs in the areas of food, health, education, finances, art and culture.
Our Vision
A region where immigrant families live a prosperous life.
About Waymakers Foundation
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Our History
Waymakers Foundation was formed in April of 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on the Latino and Hispanic community in their access to food. Serving upwards of 900 families each month, the food bank, located in Chesterfield, VA, distributes culturally responsive food that represents the community served. The work to provide emergency food assistance began as a collaborative effort between local businesses and contributions from community members, led by our founder, Natasha Lemus.
With the pandemic worsening and the demand for food assistance significantly increasing, a longtime advocate of her community, she seized the opportunity to address the growing needs by founding an organization capable of reaching the most vulnerable communities. Learning the unique needs of the community has led the organization to evolve beyond a food bank, offering new opportunities to enrich the community through programs focused on health, education, and the arts.
Founder
Natasha Contreras
As the Executive Director of Waymakers Foundation, Natasha has transformed the food bank culture in Richmond, Virginia, opening the first distribution center to provide food honoring the cultural heritage of the community served.
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As the Executive Director of Waymakers Foundation, Natasha Contreras has transformed the food bank culture in Richmond, Virginia, opening the first distribution center to provide food honoring the cultural heritage of the community served.
Natasha moved to Richmond in 2008 as a young entrepreneur, launching a tax consulting business primarily serving the undocumented immigrant community. She brings over 14 years of experience working with immigrant families, utilizing her influence to promote awareness of important issues and engaging the local community to facilitate change.
A true advocate for the betterment of the community, Natasha responded immediately to the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on Hispanic and Latino family’s access to food by founding Waymakers Foundation. With the support of local agencies and community members, the organization successfully opened a food distribution center that has assisted thousands of families gain access to culturally sensitive food, representative of their cultural customs and traditions.
Under her leadership and innovation, Waymakers Foundation is evolving beyond a food bank, offering opportunities to enrich the community through programs focused on health, education, and the arts.
Waymakers Foundation is a dream come true for Natasha, having worked over a decade to raise awareness of important issues affecting Latino families and advocating for change. All these experiences have informed her approach to create new programs and the overall vision for the organization.