Dear Friend,
Spring has arrived! It’s a time of year filled with a sense of renewal. However, for so many older neighbors it’s another season of worry over how they will be able to buy groceries and basic supplies to keep them going.
Many seniors in our community are on fixed incomes, and the rising cost of food in recent years has taken a serious toll on their budgets. Each year, it gets harder to ensure they have what they need to put food on the table.
That is why this issue of Food Matters is dedicated to those among us who are in their golden years — a time that should be filled with joy and reflection, not fear over whether or not their basic needs will be met. Everyone in our community deserves to know the comfort of food in the fridge — especially our treasured elders.
I hope you find the included stories as inspiring and motivating as I do. They are tales of resilience and endurance. And they are only possible because so many, just like you, see how important it is to support Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank. Thank you for playing an integral part in sharing food and comfort with vulnerable neighbors.
Dan Maher President and CEO
Larry is a beloved figure in his high-rise building, where he is an officer in residence, working to ensure his neighbors’ needs are met. But sometimes meeting his own needs has become a challenge.
In 1994, Larry was in a car accident that left him with physical and mental disabilities. “With my short-term memory loss, I can’t remember anything,” he says. Larry is able to work. He takes shifts at a nearby assembly site. However, the job doesn’t exactly make ends meets. He says, “finance is a burden.”
Larry shares that, when he was a child, his mother taught him how to cook healthy meals. It’s a lesson that he took to heart, and one he tries to live up to each day. But it’s not always easy when the price of kitchen staples keeps going up and up.
He is relieved to be able to turn to his local food bank for supplies to keep him going — and keep his spirits up. “I love cooking,” Larry says, especially meat and vegetables. “The more colors, the better,” he says of his dishes.
At the food bank, he receives fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as dairy, meat, and other necessities. Larry knows the value and benefits of a hearty meal, and thanks to the food bank, he is able to prepare and enjoy them. He says his local distribution center is “building up the community.”
Your caring support lightens the load for vulnerable
neighbors just like Larry. Thank you!
For 45 years, Nolan worked hard to build homes for his neighbors. Now, he’s the one seeking assistance in order to get by.
His career came to an end roughly 10 years ago, when he had a heart attack. Retired ever since, Nolan has been looking to the food bank to ensure he and his family are able to get enough to eat. He comes by on a weekly basis to pick up essentials that provide real relief for him and his loved ones.
Nolan lives with his daughter, Karen, 53, and her son, Trent, 27. Karen is a certified nursing assistant but is only able to work limited hours because she needs time to care for Trent, who has Down syndrome. Everyone in the family receives SNAP benefits, but Nolan says it’s not enough to feed everyone throughout the week.
Thanks to Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank, Nolan and his family are well supported when times get tough. They loved making breakfast together, and they get the eggs, cereal, and other breakfast staples needed at the food bank.
“We would be in trouble, real bad, without this pantry,” Nolan says. “There is a need in this community, and you are there to help.”
As a supporter, you are sharing peace of mind with families like
Nolan’s, enabling them to focus on what really matters — enjoying
time together. Thank you!
A few years ago, Raymond was homeless and barely surviving. Now, with the support of compassionate neighbors like you, he is working his way back to security and independence.
He just recently moved into a place of his own, which has a small gym that Raymond loves on the property. However, staying active can be difficult for the 61-year-old, who has a few health problems.
“I’ve got arthritis in both my knees,” he shares. “But I try to work out when I can.” He also has a hard time affording the basic foods he needs to comfortably
get through the week.
“I get a little per month in SNAP benefits. And that helps,” Raymond says. But, through Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank, he is able to cover what he can’t afford, loading
up on nutritious options to keep him fed. Knowing he has the supplies he needs is an enormous load off for Raymond.
“I get fresh produce, chicken, fish, and a lot more,” he says. “It helps to fill the gaps.”
Thank you for sharing kindness and providing much-needed help
to neighbors like Raymond!
