Dear Friend,
Fall will be here soon. The school year is going to restart, football season is on the way, and everyone is full of excitement!
But families struggling to get by can’t enjoy the changes this new season brings. They are working to put food on the table and worrying that there won’t be enough to eat. Nobody should have to worry about having enough food on the table at this time of year or any other.
It’s true that some children will start receiving free meals when they go to school, easing this burden on their families. But they are not the only ones experiencing hunger and hardship right now.
That’s why, in this issue of Food Matters, we'll focus on the families and other neighbors in our community facing hunger this fall.
Supporting neighbors who are hurting is no small task. But, thanks to kind and generous people like you, we can rise to this challenge, and provide much-needed relief.
Dan Maher
President & CEO
If you ask Maria what her favorite meal to make for her family is, she'll tell you that she loves to make foods that are traditional to her family: rice, beans, and chicken. But if you ask her 7-year-old son, Jaden, his favorite food his mom makes?
“Pasta!”
But no matter what is for dinner, Jaden loves the time he gets with his parents and 2-year-old sister around the table. “I like eating with my family,” he says.
Unfortunately, prices for everything from food to gasoline to everyday household necessities skyrocketed in the last few years, and they never came back down. That means Maria’s paycheck from her housekeeping work doesn’t stretch as far as it used to, and she’s feeling the pain.
“I have a job, but that’s not enough,” she says. “Everything now is expensive.”
During the school year, Jaden can get free breakfast and lunch at school, but during the summer, he loses access to the food his growing body needs. So, Maria brings her children to a food distribution at their elementary school when she needs help putting food on the table, and to make sure Jaden is ready to go back to school and learn in the fall. “It helps so much,” she says gratefully.
Jaden just hopes his mom got some pasta!
When you give now, you make sure kids have all the fuel they need for their bodies and brains as they head back to school. You’re setting kids up for success, and we’re so grateful!
Maria’s story is representative of the people we serve.
Anwar loves cooking for his family of six.
Unfortunately, a few months ago, Anwar lost his job at the gas station where he worked. Now, he drives for Uber when he’s able, but the work isn’t always reliable. High gas and food prices make it even harder for him to make ends meet like he used to — especially with six people to feed.
Thankfully, Anwar was recently able to visit a food distribution at his children’s elementary school, along with his sons, 5-year-old Muhammad and 7-year-old Ibrahim. He was especially excited to learn that the pantry was distributing meat, which can be difficult to access on a limited budget.
Supporters like you make these school pantries possible, and that helps neighbors like Anwar!
“Food is really expensive right now,” Anwar says. “All of this helps.”
Thank you for helping neighbors and their families with your continued gifts! You make so many of our programs, like school pantries, possible.
Anwar’s story is representative of the people we serve.
Harvey’s life took an unexpected turn at 16 when a football accident left him with a broken neck and limited mobility. He’s used a wheelchair for 40 years, but that hasn’t stopped him from transforming his accident into a passion for empowering others!
Now the executive director of an organization dedicated to promoting independence for individuals with disabilities, Harvey uses his personal experience to relate to the challenges faced by those he serves. “By having a disability … I can relate to what people who come to the center are dealing with,” he explains.
Because people living with disabilities face much higher rates of food insecurity, Harvey’s organization has made it a priority to provide vital nutritional support to those he serves by partnering with his local food bank. “If people can’t get to us, we’ll deliver the food to them,” he says.
“People in the disability community often have trouble getting food. Because our consumers rely on their social security income for food, it makes it difficult to get the proper type of food so they can be healthy.” The food program also provides culturally appropriate food to people with disabilities. “We have a lot of people who are Hispanic and African American. So, we try to stay in that cultural mindset. For example, a lot of our Hispanic consumers love black beans, plantains, and rice. So those are the kinds of things we try to give to people.”
For Harvey, every success story is a testament to the organization’s mission. “If someone calls us to say, ‘the center has helped me become independent when I didn’t think I could be,’ that’s big for us. We know we’re achieving our goals, and so are they.”
When you give today, you help provide food for Harvey to give to his community. Thank you for your ongoing support!
Harvey’s story is representative of the people we serve.
Elodia isn’t afraid of change. As a nurse for 18 years, she dealt with it every day! And then the COVID-19 pandemic began. Elodia continued working in the ICU until she got sick.
“COVID affected me physically and mentally,” Elodia says. “I spent some time in the hospital. I have nerve damage because of it, and I have heart issues.”
After weeks in the hospital, Elodia beat COVID — but it changed everything. Because of lingering health issues, including developing diabetes, she had to give up her nursing career. And on top of that, her husband’s hours were cut. They suddenly found themselves struggling to make ends meet for themselves and their son, Junior.
So, Elodia visited a local food pantry, which led to yet another change. “Through the pantry, I was able to find this nutrition education program that was doing a series on diabetes. I wanted to learn how to cook nutritious food and how to keep my family healthy,” she says.
Elodia and her son also found a nutrition education program for kids. Once a week, they receive a box of ingredients with recipes and all the materials needed to learn about the food. It’s a step toward being even healthier as a family — and that’s the kind of change Elodia can get behind!
Together with help from neighbors like you, Elodia and her family aren’t just surviving — they’re thriving! Thank you for your support that helps provide nutritious food.
Elodia’s story is representative of the people we serve.
