When the pandemic hit, Kandi's family took a financial hit. As a special needs family, their budget was always tight but they managed to save for a rainy day. Kandi's husband had his hours reduced and they managed to get by with the emergency funds they had set aside. However, as the pandemic endured, the funds in their bank account did not.
"We didn't know where to turn," Kandi recalls.
As a family that had always given back by donating to community food drives and volunteering at a local pantry, they never expected to be on the receiving end of that generosity.
"We've always been able to take care of ourselves, but we realized we really needed help," says Kandi.
Kandi went to one of Second Harvest Food Bank's 500 feeding partners to ask for help. Twice a month she is able to receive pantry staples along with fresh produce, dairy, bread and meat. She has also attended a monthly mobile food drop and encouraged other families to attend to make sure her neighbors have something to eat as well.
"When we left, we had all of the essentials that we had just taken for granted before. We are so grateful."
Thank you for providing hope, and a sense of stability and relief, to families like Kandi’s. Your support makes a difference to thousands who are reaching out for food assistance for the very first time.