With twin 8-year-old boys and a 5-year-old daughter, Johanna wants to make sure her kids have a Thanksgiving they can remember. But times have been tough for the family.
Johanna planned on having a small Thanksgiving with a rotisserie chicken, because she wasn’t sure if her family could afford a turkey.
“With them being young, I want them to know that holidays are important to us and that even though we might not have the financial means, we can still celebrate it in our way,” Johanna said. “Family is important, jobs come and go, houses come and go, but your family is your family, so you make do with what you have and make the most of the holidays.”
Her family has been having a difficult time after she stopped working in August, when her kids returned to school from the summer. With the kids back in school, her schedule changed and she could no longer work the hours required by her employer.
Help Provide Hope for the Holidays
“We’ve definitely had to cut back and just make sure we have enough for the necessities for the time being,” Johanna said.
Though her husband works, it’s hard to get by on a single income and the family has to keep a tight budget. Johanna has had to cut back on groceries and buy items on clearance to be able to make it through the week.
“They can see that mom is a little stressed about meals, and they sit down and eat what’s in front of them, so I’m thankful to have kids that aren’t terribly picky,” Johanna said. “It helps when they eat what’s in front of them.”
Johanna is looking for a job that will work with her children’s school schedule, but in the meantime, she decided to visit a food pantry for the first time.
After learning about the Food Bank’s Partner Agency, Love of Christ, in Temple, Texas, from her neighbor, they carpooled to the pantry and were among 390 families who received a turkey from the pantry.
At the pantry, Johanna received a basket filled with a turkey, pies, stuffing and everything else she needs to have a full Thanksgiving meal with her family.
“It’s a great blessing, a very good blessing. It’ll be one less thing to worry about and it’ll definitely provide enough meat, not just for one meal, we’re going to make it last, so this is a great help. I wasn’t expecting a turkey,” Johanna said getting teary eyed. “From the bottom of my heart, I’m very grateful,” Johanna said.
From the bottom of my heart, I’m very grateful.
Nobody should go hungry, especially during the holidays. Johanna and her family are among the 460,000 Central Texans facing hunger, who won’t have food on the table for the holidays without your help.
Please consider making the most generous gift you can to help. Thanks to matching donors, your gift will be doubled. That means a $10 donation provides 80 meals for families during the holidays. Help us provide hope for the holidays and give today.
