CHICAGO (WLS) — Amid increasing immigration enforcement, Latino families in Chicago face growing challenges, prompting a unique culinary initiative to lend a hand to those in need.

On January 19, the Ramova Theater will host Todos Ponen: Una Noche De Pueblos Y Platillos, a citywide fundraising event designed to bring together over 40 restaurants, hundreds of participants, and partners from various sectors. The goal is to address critical issues such as food insecurity, loss of wages, and the instability affecting immigrant families in Chicago. Organizers aim to raise $100,000 to provide 125 families with groceries lasting at least a month.

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Todos Ponen, created in 2020 by Chef Diana Dávila and the Mi Tocaya team, was born out of a crisis when immigrant families were grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic and had limited institutional support. What started as a response to immediate food shortages uncovered deeper, ongoing challenges. Now, as Latino communities in Chicago confront deportations, heightened Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, and economic losses, the instability has become more pervasive. Families are finding it increasingly difficult to secure basic necessities, including safe access to food.

Marcos Carbajal, owner of Carnitas Uruapan, has also observed the effects of ICE operations in neighborhoods such as Little Village, Gage Park, and Pilsen. His restaurants play a vital role in the local economy by employing community members. The current instability affects not only his staff but also the diners and the wider community. This firsthand experience has positioned him as a pivotal figure in the initiative, collaborating closely with Dávila as a co-host of Todos Ponen.

Dávila and Carbajal recently appeared on ABC7 Chicago to raise awareness about this initiative. To support or participate in Todos Ponen, donations and tickets are available for purchase.