It’s hard to wrap our brains around big figures. 7.8 billion people on earth. 37.2 trillion cells in the human body. 24,984,092,897,479 miles to the nearest star, Proxima Centauri.
Who can fathom such figures?
Bringing things just a little closer to home, your support helped serve 165,213 meals to hungry children in our community over the course of a year. That’s fantastic, and I’m grateful!
Still, even that big number is hard to grasp. But here’s a number we can all comprehend: one.
In this edition of Food Matters, you’ll read Zoey’s story. That’s one child — one little girl that you helped to feed. She’s thankful for that, and for you. So am I.
Big numbers, both here and around the world, can overwhelm us, even make us feel helpless. With SO many hungry children, families, and seniors experiencing food insecurity, how can I possibly make a difference? What can one person do?
You can look at Zoey’s picture. Or look at Dawn, or Patricia, or Holly — the other three stories in this edition. They’re all living, breathing reminders of what one person — you — can do to make a difference. Because you did make a difference for each.
Thank you so much for your support. It’s working!
Sincerely,
Dan Maher
President and CEO
At Zoey’s house, there’s not always enough food for the whole family. Her parents sometimes skip meals so the kids can eat.
“And that makes me sad,” says Zoey, 8, one of five children.
She says her family sometimes eats rice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, because that’s all they can afford. She’s sad about that, too.
But one of our partner food pantries is helping Zoey and her family get more — and more nutritious — food.
“The pantry helps us because it gives us food to eat,” Zoey says. “It gives us cereal and milk. It gives us lunch and dinner too.”
That’s the kind of help you provide with your kindness. And Zoey completely understands how important it is.
“Food makes you healthy,” she says. “It makes you strong and it helps you grow.”
Zoey’s family struggles to get by on a limited income. Her dad, Mikel, is a disabled Army veteran who tries to fill the gaps as a part-time mechanic. And Zoey’s mom, Tiffany, stays at home to take care of the children.
Despite those struggles, Zoey — a bright, bubbly kid who loves animals and playing outside — stays positive. Her energy and hope shine through even in the most challenging of times.
“My family is big,” she says. “But if I had one wish for my family, it would be that we all have food to eat.”
Thanks to friends like you, Zoey’s wish is coming true.
Dawn has always worked and was able to afford what her family needed. She never expected to face hunger.
But like so many other families, when the pandemic began, she lost her job. It didn’t take long before she couldn’t make ends meet.
Dawn’s story is like so many others in our community — stories of families who are still putting the pieces back together because of the lasting effects of the pandemic.
A mom to five kids — three of whom still live at home — Dawn has a lot on her plate already.
Wondering how to pay the bills and still put healthy food on the table only made her situation more challenging.
Thankfully, she learned about a mobile pantry in her community that could help her get back on track … and provide much-needed food for her family. She and her kids were able to quickly and safely receive plenty of fresh produce, milk, and protein to ensure they had nutritious food while Dawn worked to get back on her feet.
And knowing that she can turn to resources like these in hard times means so much.
Dawn is so grateful to supporters like you who make the help she receives possible.
Your kindness makes all the difference for families facing hunger. Thank you!
When her three grandchildren were placed in her custody, Patricia didn’t have enough time to continue her job running a restaurant. So she became a stay-at-home grandma.
“The kids needed me at home,” says Patricia, who now lives on disability benefits, which aren’t enough to cover the growing appetites of her grandchildren, a 9-year-old and 11-year-old twins.
That’s why she’s grateful for food made possible by your support of the food bank. Patricia says it helps keep the kids well-fed.
“For them to open the fridge and get what they want is amazing,” she says. “They open it up about 50 times a day, and that’s okay.”
Patricia is especially appreciative of the healthy options for her grandkids. And she says she’s grateful for the women who run the food pantry.
“They’ve become my friends,” she says. “I’m home a lot and don’t get out, but I look forward to going there.”
Thank you for helping families like Patricia’s. Your support today can help more seniors facing hunger throughout our community.
Holly had a good job as a manager at a fast-food restaurant. But she had to cut back on her hours during her pregnancy.
And then, after she had her daughter Ivy, now 6 months old, Holly didn’t return to work full time because she now had three kids at home. Her husband works full time, but because of their reduced income, Holly says they’re living paycheck to paycheck.
Because of their limited budget, Holly says that help from the pantry “really became a necessity at my house.” The food they get from the pantry enables them to make ends meet.
“Thank goodness this is here,” Holly says. “It helps us fill that gap until we get paid again. It’s a tremendous help.”
Your support helps struggling families like Holly’s get the food they need!
![[TSM] September eNews](/images/logo.svg){kind=logo}
