Karla cooks three times a day, every day. With a household of six, including four kids ranging from 2 to 17, and a husband whose concrete work slows down significantly in the winter, keeping everyone fed is a full-time job.

“In wintertime, my husband gets really low on work,” she says. “It’s no work in his work.”

That seasonal slowdown is when things get hardest, and when the choice between paying a bill and buying groceries becomes very real.

Karla has been visiting the Plymouth Food Pantry — a Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin partner — for about five months, and it has made a significant difference. She picks up meat and tuna, staples that are getting harder to afford at the store. She gets ingredients she can use for the Mexican food her family loves, like tacos, posole, and more. And yes, the kids are happy about the pizza and donuts too.

For Karla, there’s no shame in asking for help. Her attitude is refreshingly simple.

“For me, it’s not embarrassing,” she says. “Food is food.”

This holiday season, your gift helps families like Karla’s keep cooking, keep the table full, and get through the leaner months with a little more peace of mind.

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