Desiree Didn’t Want her Children to be Hungry

By Published On: July 17th, 2017

You made sure that they had food

When Desiree was facing the harrowing situation of not being able to feed her family, you gave her a solution. Because of you, her children did not know the hunger that she grew up with.

When Desiree was a child, she remembers the fear of not knowing where her next meal was coming from. The fear was especially strong in the summer when she couldn’t rely on school lunches.

As one of seven children, Desiree knew that there were lots of mouths to feed and not always enough food to go around.

As an adult, Desiree found stability in her life. She worked, had children and got married. Then life took a sharp turn with a divorce and sudden job loss.

“I was a single mom and the company where I worked closed,” said Desiree. “Things got tight for us.”

The day came that Desiree looked in her cupboards and realized she didn’t have enough there to feed her kids. She knew she needed help so that her children wouldn’t experience the hunger that she had known as a child.

“It is very difficult to come to the decision that you need help,” she says. “I’m the kind of person who wants to take care of myself, but when you can’t make a meal for your child you know you need some help.”

Desiree left with nutritious food along with gratitude in her heart to have food in her pantry again.

“Everyone at the food pantry was really nice and helpful,” she says. “It felt like a community effort to feed everybody.”

In time, Desiree started volunteering at Marion Polk Food Share to gain some work experience.

“When I came to the Food Share, everyone was so happy and positive,” said Desiree. “It inspired my confidence and encouraged me to do better.”

Desiree is now a full-time student working towards an Associate’s Degree at Chemeketa Community College. Her budget is still tight, but she is making it work for herself and her children.

“My goal is to graduate in a year and get a good paying job. When I look to the future, I’ll be successful and able to give back. Until I make that goal, I know where to go to get food if I need it.”