Meet Angelica.
Our neighbor Angelica believes attending food distributions is for everyone. She encourages her friends, neighbors, and anyone experiencing hard times to get the food they need without shame. “A lot of people are embarrassed to come here, thinking they’re going to be judged or made fun of. And I thought that too until I started coming and saw how nice everyone is. They’re just here to help you!”
Her compassion for her community comes from experience. Trying circumstances kept Angelica from accessing food bank services for a time and returning to receive help felt joyous. Driving up to the distribution was like a happy memory and a reminder of how far she has come. She told us, “That time was really rough, and I couldn’t make it out here. I was super excited to see these distribution signs!”
These days Angelica and her family help take care of each other and includes her son, mom, brother (who uses a wheelchair due to partial paralysis), and two friends they have taken on as family without a stable home of their own. “Kids are always coming to our house because they know it is safe here.”
Feeding many people, including growing children, is tough on the pocketbook as grocery prices remain high. The food she gets from food banks helps offset those costs and provides healthier options than the less nutritious food that is more affordable at the grocery store.
“We can’t afford the healthy options. It’s like we have to eat more of the junk when that’s what costs less,” she said. Receiving more nutritious food like fruit, vegetables, and whole grains is important to her and, always thinking of others, she wants us to know it is important for all. “Thank you for what you do here,” Angelica said, “It means a lot to the community.”
