Entrepreneur Wil Otero: Making an everyday difference
Wil Otero, founder of the Leland Tea Company, and his team have been working with the community to provide special community-wide events throughout the year with his focus on — the Mary Elizabeth Inn, a nonprofit organization that provides housing and supportive services to formerly homeless women, many of whom are survivors of domestic violence.
Annually during the last quarter, starting in October, Wil gathers his crew of volunteers and provides the women of the Mary Elizabeth Inn, an afternoon tea service to celebrate the birthday of the organization’s founder. He then returns in November for an annual Thanksgiving dinner and again in December for the Christmas meal.
Wil says, “These women really look forward to these events yearly, they go out of their way to doll up and wear their tea hats.”
“I like to feel like I’m doing my part to make a difference — I do what I do because I know it does make a difference and I see it in the gratitude I receive each and every time they see me.” Wil continues. He has been donating his time and rallying his friends and volunteers for years now in service to the community.
Because Wil grew up with a strong single mother whom he credits for his business savvy and surrounded by sisters, he considers himself an ally for self-empowerment and women’s rights. “The hardest part (of helping at the Inn) is being a male, a lot of women make no eye contact since many of them come from abusive backgrounds,” Wil states. “I get it… so I try to help while also giving them safe space.”
According to Dion Roberts, the director of the Mary Elizabeth Inn, “One of the highlight events is a fabulous high tea honoring the birthday of the founder of the organization. William brings along his great generosity and infectious laugh, and of course superb tea and accompaniments, to the delight of all the residents.”
More recently, Wil’s Leland tea physical store location in Burlingame, a beacon of tranquility and reflection in the community, has felt the impact of the COVID-19 social distancing and business restrictions; but Wil, who is an optimist at heart, is determined to still do everything he can to support the Mary Elizabeth Inn organization.
In the last week, he donated over 100 bagged lunches to the women at Mary Elizabeth Inn, as well as hand-delivered over 50 dinners to first responders at the Mills-Peninsula Hospital who were working for 16+ hours. The mayor of Burlingame, who is a regular customer at the teahouse, mentioned the plight of the nurses and doctors at the hospital and Wil sprang into action, utilizing the extra food in the cafe’s kitchen. He also included his bottled Vitae Tea in each care package, especially his Immuni-Tea blend with Vitamin C and Zinc, to help with the stress and boost immunity.
“If we don’t take it upon ourselves to make a difference, who will?” Wil asks.
