Food Pantries Save Lives Every Day

I found myself in a place no one ever wants to be - pregnant at 19 and homeless, with no family support. I didn’t know what kind of nutrition was important for my baby, and I was only worried about where I would be sleeping for the next night. I was tired, cold and stressed. If it weren’t for the generosity of strangers, I wouldn’t have survived.

A free breakfast program provided me with breakfast every morning. The volunteers helped teach me about taking care of my baby. And they gave me a warm place to start my day. In the afternoon I returned to the soup kitchen for an evening meal.

With support from several social service organizations, I found housing and healthcare. I am ready to have this baby, and provide for it in ways I didn’t think possible a few months ago. I know I still have a lot to go through. But I would have a different story if it weren’t for programs that met my basic needs when I needed them most.

Our community agencies are out there every day helping to keep families together and healthy. But the number of people in need of these services has grown to the point where help is getting harder to find. 

The programs providing basic needs in our neighborhoods are seeing unprecedented numbers of new families coming through their doors. An increase of 40% is not uncommon for most to report. The Take Five to Give 5 campaign will send 100% of your donation to these organizations that are meeting basic needs for for families and individuals throughout the community.

Whatever amount you can give will help change lives. Tell five friends. Use your network, share the stories, and ask them to give to the campaign. Your gift multiplies with every person you connect with.