Food Bank Helps Single Mom During the Holidays

Dec12

Dilcia is a single mother. She works full-time cleaning rooms in a hotel. With four kids to raise, money can be tight. After her friend told her about the Food Bank’s Mobile Food Pantry distribution, she decided to attend for the first time.

Since she gets paid by the room, she decided to go to work a little later that day. Though it was a very cold Saturday morning, Dilcia couldn’t miss the distribution. She would just clean the rooms later.

“You receive a lot of help, it’s worth it for the kids,” Dilcia said.

With the holidays around the corner, Dilcia needed all the help she could get. With her kids asking about presents, she was hoping to be able to save enough money to buy them something, even if it was small.

As she waited in line at the distribution, her family’s holidays got a little brighter. A volunteer was signing families up to receive toys if they needed them. Dilcia was among those. Her kids would receive a little more than what she would be able to afford.

With rent, utilities and other expenses to pay, Dilcia always ensures her kids have a roof over their heads first.

“Thank God we always have enough to pay the rent. I’ve never not had enough. Whenever I need help I come to get help, like here. I have always earned enough for the rent, always. We cut down to be able to pay for everything we need,” Dilcia said.

When she can’t make ends meet, Dilcia will go to her local food pantry to get help with food. At the pantry she’ll receive protein and staples that she uses to cook Honduran dishes. To save money, she always cooks at home.

At the Mobile Food Pantry distribution, Dilcia took home a little bit of everything: fresh produce, staples and protein. But the best part was—the turkey she was taking home for the holidays.

Though she wasn’t getting Christmas off and she couldn’t afford to miss work on that day lest it put her behind on her expenses, she was grateful for the food she was taking home.

She would make her kids a holiday meal they would share together once she got home from work.

“Keep helping us because we need it and I hope that God will keep blessing [the donors], so that they’re able to help the people in need,” she said.

This holiday season, hardworking families like Dilcia’s rely on the Food Bank to ensure they have a meal at their table. Thanks to a very generous matching donors, every dollar donated from now through December 31st will help us provide eight meals to families struggling to make ends meet. Give today and provide hope for the holidays!

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