Nourishing Connections: Mary Ann and the Capital Park Food Pantry
There are two reasons why Mary Ann is so grateful for the Capital Park Food Pantry. First, it’s the only way she can keep her family of six fed. Second, the community of support she’s found there has kept her socially and emotionally nourished in the face of hardship.
Sadly, Mary Ann’s story echoes so many others we’ve heard before. Her budget is pushed to its absolute brink, so she worries constantly about how she’ll put food on the table for her family.
That’s why, when she’s able to visit her local food distribution, she feels an immediate wave of relief.
“If it weren’t for this food pantry, I wouldn’t be able to afford food,” she says. “Everything is expensive.”
Despite receiving financial assistance, families like Mary Ann’s still don’t have enough funds to cover the bills each month.
“We only qualified for $18, and that isn’t enough to buy what I need,” she shares. But your support helps fill the food gap for families like hers.
Another way Mary Ann feels empowered by her local pantry is through its “shopping model.” She appreciates that she has such a wide selection to choose from, and how she can tailor the help she receives to best fit her family’s unique needs.
“I’m surprised by the selection available, including hygiene products and baby food,” Mary Ann says. “Just grateful for being able to shop for what I need, rather than receiving a box.”
For Mary Ann, visiting the pantry is nothing to be ashamed of. She knows that everyone needs a little help sometimes, and it’s okay to reach out for support. That’s what she tells everyone she meets at the pantry — from the newcomers to the volunteers she considers to be her close friends.
“We’re in this together,” she says.
Yes, we are! Your kindness enables us to reach more families — and make a lasting difference for neighbors like Mary Ann. Thank you for being a vital part of Marion Polk Food Share’s mission, and for all you do to help end hunger in our community.
And thank you to the following community partners who join you in supporting the Food Share:
American Ballet Academy
Goodwill Industries of the Columbia-Willamette Valley
Jeremy A. Dumanovsky Construction, Inc.
Richard and Barbara Marx Foundation
The H Group, Inc.
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