Last night, our family restaurant, Ruta 55, located in the Bronx (1316 Lafayette Ave), was broken into.

Ruta 55 is more than just a restaurant to us. It’s a love letter to the countryside of the Dominican Republic, where my parents are from. The name comes from the street they grew up on, and everything we’ve built here comes from their sacrifices, their memories, and their pride in where they come from.

This restaurant was built from years of hard work, long nights, and everything my parents had to give. And even when things have been difficult, we’ve always made one thing our priority: our staff. Our team is like family, and no matter what, we make sure they are paid and taken care of—even if it means we go without.

The people who broke in forced the gate open, broke the door, damaged electrical cables, and took our register with money inside. The physical damage is overwhelming, but the financial hit is even harder at a time when we were already struggling to keep our doors open.

Now, we’re facing urgent repair costs, lost income, and the pressure of continuing to support our staff and keep this dream alive.

We are asking for help to recover. Every contribution will go toward:

• Repairing the door, gate, and electrical systems

• Replacing stolen cash and equipment

• Covering rent and operating costs

• Most importantly, making sure our staff continues to get paid

If you’ve ever supported Ruta 55, believe in small family businesses, or understand what it means to build something from nothing, we would deeply appreciate your help—whether that’s donating or simply sharing our story.

This restaurant represents our family, our culture, and our community in the Bronx. We are not giving up—we just need help getting back on our feet.

Thank you for standing with us. ❤️