Dear Friend,
As I read through the stories in this newsletter and look ahead to the holidays, one word keeps going through my mind:
Gratitude
I’m forever grateful for people like you who support Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank. Without you, the work of helping our neighbors facing hunger just wouldn’t get done. But thanks to you, people experiencing food insecurity are finding the help and hope they need this holiday season.
I’m also grateful as I read the stories in this issue. Stories of people who have been directly helped by your generosity. Stories of neighbors who will be able to put food on the table over the holidays. Food is at the heart of every holiday. And thanks to friends like you, more families will have access to the foods that make this time of year special.
As I sit down with my family to celebrate the holidays, I will give thanks for you, for a community that cares so deeply about its neighbors, and for families and individuals who are being helped.
Remember, every $10 you give can help provide 20 nourishing meals. Thank you for your kindness!
Gratefully,
Dan Maher
President and CEO
To Jaid, kindness is everything. It’s important to show kindness to others because you never know when someone might be going through a tough time.
When Jaid needed kindness the most in her own life, she found it at her local food distribution.
“I was homeless for five years, so I know how it is to want food and need food,” Jaid says. “And that’s kind of my journey, helping others because I’ve been there, done that.”
While she makes it her mission to give back to the community that helped her, she’s also trying to raise her growing children. She takes care of her son full time due to his severe medical needs — but without a steady income, it’s hard to balance the high price of medicine, household essentials, and food for her family.
And it’s even harder to buy holiday meals … which are often out of the question. “I wasn’t able to afford Thanksgiving meals or a turkey,” she says.
Thankfully, friends like you made it possible for Jaid to find support at her local food pantry once again. Now, Jaid can give her family a happy holiday meal they’ll remember and cherish. “My kids are growing up,” she says. “They will have nice memories of having a Thanksgiving.”
Your kindness knows no bounds! Thank you for opening your heart during the holidays and for helping families like Jaid’s enjoy a Thanksgiving meal together.
One of the many ways Juana shows her family love is by cooking delicious meals. And, as you might imagine, Thanksgiving is the perfect holiday for Juana to showcase her skills — and create happy memories for her loved ones.
“I am someone who enjoys cooking,” says Juana. “Especially during Thanksgiving, I really enjoy making the turkey.”
But her family can’t always afford the food they need — and that challenge amplifies during the holidays.
That’s why she’s so grateful for friends like you. With your support, she knows she can come to the food bank for a little extra help during the holidays. But most of all, she loves the feeling of nourishing her family’s minds, bodies, and spirits with food!
“This will help me a lot,” Juana says. “It’s a great help for me and my family.”
When you give, you make the holidays even brighter for families like Juana’s. Thank you!
Heather is a real-life superhero. She had a long career in the human and social services field — about 30 years! — and it made her happy to know she was helping others.
“I’ve worked with so many different vulnerable populations — from women at risk, to children at risk, people facing homelessness, and other social justice issues.”
But even superheroes need help sometimes. When Heather gave birth to her twin daughters, Olivia and Victoria, she faced complications and lingering health issues that forced her to leave the job that she loved. Then her husband, Andre, a combat veteran, lost his small business.
Suddenly, their lives turned upside down.
“We went from not thinking about food, and being able to buy whatever food we needed to becoming food insecure,” Heather says. “It started like a slow drip. And then, as life happened, it became this big flood coming, just flooding everything.”
But Heather wasn’t going to let her family sink in the flood. Instead, she put her skills in social services to work to help buoy her family during their challenging time.
That’s when she connected with her local food pantry. Now Heather, her husband, and their four children don’t have to worry about where they’ll get their next meal. They can spend their holiday resting, relaxing, and having fun together.
“We try to remember that things could be a lot worse,” Heather says. “So, it’s always been about how we can help other people who are going through things much worse than us.”
Thank you for enabling families like Heather’s to enjoy the holidays when times get tough.
The holidays can be especially challenging for families facing hunger. While grocery prices remain high, it’s often impossible for our neighbors to fit presents or a special holiday meal into their already tight budgets.
But everyone in our community deserves food — and holiday cheer! That’s why Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank is hosting its fourth annual Turkeys & Toys distribution!
During this festive drive-through event — held Saturday, Dec. 14 at Stafford High School — families in need of holiday support will have the opportunity to receive food for holiday meals and fun toys for Christmas.
Be sure to also keep an eye out for Santa and his helpers, who will help distribute toys while our staff and volunteers provide turkeys and holiday food to families facing hunger in our community!
Please visit fredfood.org/Turkeys-Toys to help volunteer or sponsor this holly jolly event!
