If times were normal, Maureen Carreno would be full-swing into her consulting job and running her travel agency. "Normally I work at least two jobs, and have most of my life," she said. Since times are far from normal, with many people refraining from travel during the pandemic, Carreno's business has been closed. "That gives me time to chop veg and get busy in the kitchen," she said.

She hasn't boiled over the loss of income, instead she’s been busy simmering down soups and stews. "When the pandemic got really bad, I said, you know what? I’m just going to start making a bunch of soup. I'll put out a table and start giving it away," she said. Carreno used to fill any free time she had with trips to the Kensington section of the city to feed people struggling with homelessness.