She and her husband both had jobs. Their special-needs daughter was busy earning good grades as well as Special Olympics medals.
Then suddenly, everything changed. Her husband was diagnosed with a brain tumor, leaving him unable to work or be left home alone for long. Mary was forced not only to quit the job she loved, but also find a way to feed her family while living on her husband’s small disability payments.
Fortunately, HonorHealth Desert Mission Food Bank has been there to help.
“They treat me with dignity and respect. Everyone there is beautiful,” says Mary.
Visiting the food bank monthly, she’s able to bring home produce, as well as bread, frozen meat and often her daughter’s favorite—yogurt. Using her Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits (formerly known as food stamps), Mary sometimes purchases pre-bagged Bargain Baskets with either meat or produce at a fraction of traditional costs.
In addition to food, Desert Mission Food Bank has helped provide Mary and her family with good health. Fresh fruit and vegetables enable them to eat nutritious items, which has assisted Mary in losing more than 100 pounds over the past two years.
“A lot of times, I’ll make the recipes that the Food Bank provides,” she says. “One time, they had spaghetti squash and instructions on how to cook it. It was really good! My daughter loves pasta so she thought it was great, and it was much healthier for us.”
Desert Mission Food Bank “truly helps families in need,” says Mary, noting that she never imagined being one of those families before life took a difficult turn. “I’m very grateful for all they do. Without the Food Bank, we wouldn’t have enough to eat and some people would have nothing at all.”
*Name has been changed for confidentiality.
