Jill's Journal: Rudy has a soft heart for giving

If you haven’t met Rudy Navarette, you should.

He’s the guy, who for the past five years, has been preparing and serving up his Tex Mex meals at the Brandon VFW on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. 

And although it’s the second Wednesday of the month, tonight, Rudy is offering an “all-you-can-eat” Taco Fundraiser Night. The buffet will be open from 5-8 p.m. at the Brandon VFW, and the suggested donation is $10 per person.

Here’s the catch, though.

Rudy isn’t pocketing the profits. 

Instead, he’s directing them to the Brandon Area Food Pantry.

It’s a similar kind gesture he’s made happen for five years. The first year, proceeds stayed “in-house,” and were shared with the local VFW to give to veterans in need of financial assistance or to help pay a bill or two.

For two years, the profits were given to Gold Start Families, and the last two years, the goodwill gesture benefitted the Veterans Community Project, which essentially is the tiny home village for veterans in Sioux Falls.

Rudy doesn’t do this for headlines in the newspaper.

“I’ve been fortunate in life and food brings people together,” Rudy told me. “It’s the warm and fuzzies in life to raise money for cool things” like the Brandon Area Food Pantry.

And, he isn’t taking all of the credit, citing volunteers that have helped him carry out endeavors such as this one, or to those individuals, like Jesse Johnston, who willingly donates to whatever cause he’s cooking up a taco bar to benefit. Johnston has already pledged $2,000 above and beyond what is raised tonight in donations from diners.

“When I told Linda (Weber, Food Pantry executive director) over the phone, I think she could’ve done backflips,” Rudy said. “In his (Johnston’s) words, he does it for God, not the publicity.”

Brandon isn’t the only community that Rudy Navarette’s Tex Mex endeavors have benefitted from.

“I’m just grateful for the opportunity to be part of it,” he said, “and I show gratitude for being able to be allowed to use these facilities. Whether it’s $500 or $5,000 that we raise, at the end of the day, we’re going to raise money no matter what.”

Rudy also encourages diners to bring in donations of non-perishables, which, of course, will go to the Pantry.

The world – and our little piece of it – needs more people like Rudy. People who have a soft heart for giving and a big heart for gratitude from the many blessings that life has afforded him.

Thanks for caring, Rudy.