job would be even better. I lost my job a year ago and have been struggling to survive ever since. I’m not lazy and I’m willing to work.”
A person with a family of five said that they receive food stamps and visit the food pantries, but it still isn’t enough. Though grateful for the assistance, they say that some “of the items are difficult to use when creating a meal--sometimes I will get pasta but no sauce, meat or anything that I know how to pair with it. I’m at a loss for how to feed my family.”
One woman at the mobile food pantry said, “Please let the elderly go first. They are old and the food runs out by the time they get to the front of the line. My family really needs it but they need it more. The system here needs to change.”
These brief stories provide a glimpse into the struggles faced by food pantry users and the critical role that the Valley food pantries play in helping them get through each month. Many in the Valley rely on their local food pantry to fill in gaps when other programs or benefits change, or in the case of an emergency that limits their ability to get the food they need. Improvements to the food system in the Valley—including collaboration amongst the pantries—are likely to have a strong positive impact on meeting the food security needs of more Valley families.
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2014 Valley Hunger Study