A Portage Life in the Spotlight: Jennifer Espinoza
- By: Damon Modglin
- Last Updated: July 1, 2026
When it comes to community, few are as committed to theirs as Jennifer Espinoza. Espinoza grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago before moving to Portage in 2012, alongside her husband. Though she’s since moved, she’s still active in volunteering in Portage and the surrounding area when she can.
Working for an investment firm by day, Espinoza stays active with her three sons and her husband. She sets an example for her family to follow with a special focus placed on youth sports. In 2021, she and her husband helped start a youth football league to teach students the fundamentals of the game before getting to middle and high school.
“We wanted to give kids an option for a program that taught safety and fundamentals without being so focused on winning and losing,” Espinoza said. “We were a Region team, so we took athletes from the surrounding area – you didn’t have to live in a certain city or town. We played our games out of River Forest High School and played teams from Wheeler, North Judson – a lot of teams out east.”
On top of supporting kids interested in learning football, Espinoza and the league organizers used the opportunity to support their communities on a wider scale.
“We would do games that were designated for collecting food for the local food pantries,” Espinoza said. “We would collect the items, and then we would take them. We’ve delivered to the Portage Pantry, and we’ve filled the Lake Station food cabinet in front of city hall a few times. My kids and I also volunteer at the food pantry in Merrillville on Saturday mornings when we can.”
Even as Espinoza has had to step away from the football league to keep up with her kids’ active schedules, she still makes it a point to give her time where she can. As such, she participates in her children’s schools and sports programs.
“I really try to stay active in our community. My two younger kids are in middle school, and I try to be involved in their parent-teacher organization. They’ll be joining seventh grade football, and I’ve already volunteered to be the football parent. I’m also the secretary for the Booster Football Club, and I’m the academic coordinator for the high school football team,” she said.
Espinoza continues giving to her community to provide her children with an example to follow.
“I do it for myself and the kids that benefit from it, but I also want to show my own children that you can’t just glide through life,” she said. “You have to give back and contribute to the community that you’re raised in and may someday raise your own family in.”
When Espinoza finds a free moment, she likes to spend it with her family. Whether it’s reading on the back porch or cheering on her children from the crowd at their games, she tries to savor it all with the people that mean the most to her.
“You need to slow down and enjoy every minute possible,” Espinoza said. “Take in everything around you, be involved, and aim to not just make your own home better but make your community better for your kids, the kids next door, the kids that you don’t even know. Take a step back, slow down, and enjoy everything.”