The cold and rainy weather didn’t keep Sheila and her three children from standing in line for the Food Bank’s Mobile Food Pantry at Texas State Technical College (TSTC) in Waco.
Her 8-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son happily helped their mom out with the food cart as she carried her 18-month-old daughter. Despite the weather, Sheila and her children had smiles on their faces as they moved down the pantry line to get beans, canned food, fresh produce and even some donuts.
Thanks to a $15,907 grant from the Caterpillar Foundation awarded to the Food Bank in September, the Mobile Pantry at TSTC has been able to support families like Sheila’s. The Food Bank, a member of the Feeding America network, is one of 34 food banks nationwide to receive this grant. So far, the grant has helped provide 30,901 pounds of nutritious food to the more than 48,000 McLennan County residents who are food insecure.
For Sheila and her family, the food she receives at the pantry, especially the produce, has been a blessing to her family, she said. Her youngest daughter is anemic and Sheila has to stretch her family’s budget to buy food that is healthy and high in iron while balancing her daughter’s medical expenses and doctor visits.
Going to the doctor isn’t easy for the family, especially having to share one car between Sheila and her husband. A trip to the doctor means driving to Temple or Providence, which can be up to a 50 minute drive to the hospital, she said.
As Sheila transitions her family to a healthier diet, produce is especially hard to come by, especially when her husband’s monthly income varies.
“Buying stuff is so expensive, especially when you are trying to eat healthy. We can only pay for so much of it,” Sheila said. “When you’re on a budget you always look for cheaper deals or sales. But when you’re limited on what the kids can eat, it makes it more difficult,” she said.
At the Mobile Food Pantry, Sheila gets a variety of vegetables and fruit like apples, bananas, green bell peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, cabbage and spinach to help keep her family healthy.
“We’ve gotten a lot of fruits and vegetables and that’s what I appreciate and like from here. We get plenty so it lasts us a long time and we make it stretch too,” Sheila said. “It’s been real helpful and a blessing to our family.”
Sheila isn’t the only one receiving food at the Mobile Food Pantry. Thanks to the Caterpillar Foundation, more than 2,218 individuals in McLennan County can count on the Food Bank’s monthly Mobile Food Pantry to ensure there’s a meal on their families’ table. The grant will support the pantry through August and help provide more than 63,000 meals for families in need.
“I’d like to say thank you for all that [donors] do and for donating the items, because I’m sure not only is our family blessed through all of it, but I’m sure all these people waiting will be blessed, too,” Sheila said.
