U.S. Latino Catholic family receives award for exemplary faith and service

ACI Prensa Staff, Nov 12, 2024 / 07:00 am

“My parents have always been very adamant about their Catholic faith,” said one of the sons of the Jiménez family, who is originally from Mexico and owns Carnicerías Jiménez, a grocery store chain in metro Chicago. The family was recently awarded the Iskali Inspired Award, which honors those whose life and work, guided by their faith, serve as an example for young people.

“Iskali” in the Indigenous Mexican language Náhuatl means “growth.”

“This legacy can inspire new generations to see leadership as a call to serve, showing them that they too can create significant changes within their communities,” Vicente Del Real, founder and director of Iskali, an apostolate dedicated to training young Latinos committed to their faith, shared with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.

The award was presented during the Celebrating Youth Gala, held Nov. 2 at the Midwest Conference Center in Northlake, Illinois, an annual event organized by Iskali.

According to Del Real, the Jiménez family “personifies resilience, faith, and a deep commitment to service, all qualities that make them worthy of this award.”

A legacy of effort and sacrifice

The Jiménez family enterprise began in Chicago in 1975, when José Jiménez and his wife, Lupe, opened a fruit store on the corner of 26th and Pulaski. From that first business, they managed to expand until they turned their venture into Carnicerias Jiménez, a chain of stores that provides fresh produce to the community.

But the Jiménez family not only offers quality products in its eight grocery stores but also has become an example for the Latino community, the fastest-growing demographic group in the state of Illinois.

According to Claritas’ 2023 Hispanic Market Report, more than 67 million people in the United States are Hispanic, representing 20% ​​of the country’s total population. Additionally, Hispanics lead as the largest multicultural group in the country, with a growth of 90.25% from 2000 to 2024.

Del Real said the Jiménez family story, from humble beginnings, is a testament to the “power of hard work, family values, and an unwavering commitment to giving back” to their community.

José Jiménez, director and founder of Carnicerías Jiménez, recalled his arrival in the United States. “I come from a very large family in Mexico; we had a ranch. Because of my father’s illness, we lost the ranch. We moved to the city of Aguascalientes and, after two years, I came to the state of Texas, and then to Chicago,” he said.

At first he worked in a factory and in supermarkets but soon discovered his passion for business. “I spent the first five years without knowing what a day off was, working between 120 and 140 hours a week,” he said.

Luz Maribel Jiménez, José’s daughter and the chain’s human resources director, recalled her father’s dedication: “My dad would get up at 2 in the morning and go to bed at 10 at night. It was constant work all the time.”

A legacy of faith that transcends generations

Faith has been a cornerstone in the Jiménez family’s life, and it’s a value they have passed on to their children and employees.

When the family patriarch was a child living in Mexico, he would accompany his mother each week to pray before an image of St. Martin de Porres, a Peruvian Dominican saint. This devotion continued over time, and when he moved to Chicago, he would often pray before the saint’s image at St. Pius V Church on Ashland Avenue to ask for his intercession.

When he opened his Carnicerías Jiménez store on Fullerton Avenue, he feared losing this habit of prayer due to the distance and lack of nearby churches dedicated to St. Martin. To preserve this devotion, he decided to build a private chapel in the store, creating a place for himself and his team to pray to St. Martin, the Virgin of Guadalupe, and St. Jude Thaddeus.

José Jiménez III, another of the family’s children, shared how Catholic principles have influenced the way they do business.

“My parents have always been very adamant about their Catholic faith. A lot of ethics, a lot of values ​​behind it, and they have brought those principles to the business. I have seen the way they’ve conducted themselves and do the same here with us, trying to get us to follow in their footsteps,” he said proudly.

According to Del Real, the Jiménez family’s faith “has been a guiding force in their approach to business and community relations.”

“Their belief in the values ​​of compassion, respect, and generosity is reflected in the supportive environment they provide for their employees and their active involvement in community initiatives. Faith has undoubtedly shaped their business ethics, encouraging them to view their company not just as a means of livelihood but as a platform to uplift and serve,” he said.

The human impact at work and in the community

The atmosphere at Carnicerías Jiménez is not only professional but also has a strong family feeling to it. Bernardino López, an employee, shared how the Jiménez family’s faith and human warmth impact him and his co-workers every day. 

“When we arrive, we have a family atmosphere, more than anything. We receive a few first words from Mr. Jiménez, and the first thing he says is: ‘Ladies and gentlemen in charge, may God bless you.’ And from there our day begins, and I want to share that this is something very much like a family.”

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José III also emphasized that when his parents started this business, “it wasn’t to get rich but to enrich the community and the next generation.”

“It’s more about giving than receiving. It’s about going into a community and not seeing what it can give us but what we can provide to the community so that they can grow,” he said.

The Jiménez community commitment, José III explained, is reflected in the chain’s participation in all kinds of community events: “We’ve helped the community a lot, and the community has seen it,” including sponsoring sports teams and youth programs.

Del Real said Chicago is a better place thanks to the Jiménez family.

“Their contributions go far beyond running a successful business; they have created spaces for belonging and support for the Latino community. Over the years, they have helped local Chicago neighborhoods commit to supporting local organizations, churches, and schools in each neighborhood where their stores are located,” he concluded.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.