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Throughout life, you never know what unexpected circumstances may leave you needing help and resources. As a new mom, Candy shares, “There has been a lot going on in my life in the past three years, and I had no idea what I was going to do. My first son was born early and unexpectedly had heart complications, which was really scary. He underwent surgery at just four months old in November of 2022, and sadly passed away. Following his death, I experienced depression. Thankfully, a bright spot followed when I found out I was expecting again, and delivered a healthy baby boy, Andy.”

In addition to caring for her newborn son, Candy also cares for her disabled mom and juggles a part-time job to support herself and her family. Although challenging, she describes it as a blessing. Another blessing arrived when her nurse helped connect her to meaningful programs offered by the Food Bank of the Southern Tier. She provided access to nourishing food for Candy and her son, and she notes, “These programs helped me a lot and I have the deepest appreciation.”

The Food Bank’s program, Kitchen Stork, provided Candy and her family with a weekly delivery of groceries to make nourishing meals. She says, “Being on this program has helped me want to eat to live and nourish my body, rather than relying on quick convenience foods. It has also made me want to cook and eat at home more; to date, my favorite recipe has been the Vegetable Lasagna.”

Candy shares, “My next step is to plan on getting another job, and I want to offer a word of encouragement, if anyone wants help, get the help, and don’t be afraid to ask.”

Thanks to you, our team can focus on delivering nourishing foods to support our community through meaningful programs that make a difference.

This article was part of our Winter 2024 Harvester newsletter, click here to view.