It's been said that desperate times call for desperate measures. Crystal knows that all too well.
"We went fishing just so we could have some meat," she explains.
She feels like the wind has been let out of her sails. It started when her husband’s hours were cut at work. Some weeks there were more hours than others but the overtime they were used to had disappeared into this air.
"There have been times we had to rob Peter to pay Paul, but nothing compares to this," she says.
At first, they sold some extra furniture to make ends meet. Then, they pawned their television and other electronics to pay for groceries. Finally, Crystal started searching on the internet for free food, which led her to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.
Second Harvest's Food Finder gave Crystal the opportunity to search for food pantries near her home. She was able to see the days and times of upcoming food distributions. Most importantly, she felt assured that there were people in her community ready to help her and her family. At the pantry, Crystal received a variety of food, including milk, eggs, fresh produce, pantry staples and even a few treats for the kids.
"We had challenges for months to pay bills and feed our four kids," says Crystal. "Now I tell all of our neighbors that there is no reason to be hungry because Second Harvest is showing so much compassion and kindness to our community."
Thanks to the generosity of our caring community, Second Harvest and its network of feeding partners are able to distribute food to families like Crystal's.
"It may seem like a small thing to give someone a box of groceries, but it's not. Food like this brings happiness and joy back into my home and that is priceless," says Crystal.