Helping a Family Through a Rough Time
Angel helps her parents by preparing a snack for siblings Trinity and Israel.
Perry attended culinary school and had a promising career as a chef. But after several back injuries, he was left hardly able to stand, much less work. His wife Jenny suffers from a debilitating disability as well. On a fixed income, they struggled to feed their three children and find affordable housing in a neighborhood safe for their family.
“We were living in a rough area that wasn’t safe and, after a few close calls, decided we needed to leave,” explains Perry. “It wasn’t an easy move. We had housing issues when we first arrived and ended up living in a hotel. The hotel cost us everything we had— and left no room for food. There were times when we didn’t know how we would get our next meal.”
Perry and Jenny weren’t the only ones wondering where their next meal would come from. Their daughter Angel saw how it impacted the family and worried about them all having enough to eat.
“Our mom always has us eat before the grownups do,” says Angel. “Sometimes I get worried that there won’t be enough food for my little sister if I eat too much.”
The family was referred to a local pantry and was given the food and resources they needed. They were able to focus on finding a stable place to live instead of worrying about how to feed their three kids.
“A few months ago, we were able to find housing,” shares Perry. “We are settled in now, and our financial situation has improved to the point that we don’t need to use the food pantry regularly. But it’s comforting to know that if we need it, it’s there — and that because of them, I’ll never have to worry about my children going hungry.”
Angel is feeling better about the food at home, too. “The pantry is nice because we don’t have to worry about the amount of food we have or if my parents are going to be able to eat the same as us,” says Angel.
Thank you for helping families like Perry’s through your donations.
To find a local food pantry, click here.
