It came down to the last piece of bread for a family of three and no diapers for 1-year old Josiah. As a new Waco resident, Aaron was still searching for a steady job to support his two sons – baby Josiah and 4-year old Aaron.
“I would run out of diapers, I would run out of milk, and when you run out to your last, you really just look for any resources that you can get help from,” Aaron said. “I would even have to ask a neighbor or go out on a limb just to try to do for my kids, and as a parent, it hurts.”
When the mother of his 1-year old abandoned their son, Aaron took custody of Josiah. After securing housing in Waco, Aaron moved his small family there to start over. In Waco, his children would have their own room and could wake up to their dad making breakfast for them.
It hasn’t been easy for the family. Though Aaron makes money as a self-employed barber, the occasional hair cut isn’t enough. Not having a steady income has taken a toll on the family, especially at the end of the month.
When the family was down to their last meal, he turned to Caritas of Waco, the Food Bank’s largest Partner Agency in McLennan County, to receive food assistance.
As he made his way through the food pantry, he picked non-perishable food items, but when he arrived at the fruit and produce area, the help he received was more than he had expected.
He began picking out a few mangos from cases of the fruit available at the pantry. To his surprise, the volunteer took a whole case of 12 to 14 mangos and placed it in his shopping cart.
His pantry shopping experience wasn’t over. Aaron was also able to fill half of a grocery bag with peaches and plums, take a watermelon home, and get fresh corn, jalapeños and lettuce for his family.
The once empty grocery cart was filled with fresh produce that is now more readily accessible to McLennan County residents, like Aaron, thanks to a new drop-ship produce hub placed at Caritas of Waco.
The produce hub is a new initiative by the Food Bank to rescue more food and increase access to healthy fresh produce to the more than 48,800 individuals facing hunger in McLennan County. With the container, 20 Partner Agencies in the area can pick up produce from Caritas of Waco and immediately distribute it to families in need.
Prior to installing the 40-foot-long shipping container, the Food Bank’s limited fleet would have to travel more than 100 miles and about two hours to reach McLennan County. Limited transportation meant that the Food Bank had to restrict how much food it could distribute in McLennan County in order for the trucks to travel at legal weights.
Thanks to the container, the Food Bank will be able to rescue more food and distribute a projected 3.2 million pounds of fresh produce in McLennan County by end of year.
Before the container, Partner Agencies in the area didn’t have an opportunity to distribute fresh produce to their clients. Families usually left with canned goods.
“When the container became available and we were able to get produce, it was just an added blessing to a lot of families to be able to prepare nutritious meals for their families,” said Ruben Andrade, Senior Pastor at Family of Faith Worship Center.
The initiative gives families like Aaron’s a chance to include fresh produce in their diets. The healthy food is especially important for his two young children who need it to grow big and strong. The produce will also help Aaron keep a healthy lifestyle to help with his diabetes.
As he made his way through the food pantry picking out non-perishable canned items, produce and even meat, his face beamed knowing that his kids would have a meal that night and for the rest of the week and that Josiah would have diapers.
After spending time on the streets, sleeping at shelters or finding refugee under bridges before changing his life around, Aaron is extremely grateful for the help he has received to make sure his children don’t have to experience what he has.
“I can let my pride down, and be humble enough to ask for help,” Aaron said. “It’s really a blessing. I’m thankful for you guys, I’m thankful for what you guys do with the community and everyone else.”
