Randy's Story

Randy was three semesters away from a bachelor's degree in business administration at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho when the economy took its toll and he lost his job.

"I can't go back to school because I can't afford to live," said Randy, who now lives in Rathdrum, Idaho.

Two job sectors that Randy worked in to support himself and pay child support for his 2-year-old daughter, Dakota, shed jobs amid steep downturns in retail sales and a decline in demand for new construction.

"I was actually laid off of my retail sales job," he said, adding that he relocated to Spokane to work construction only to find those jobs had also dried up.

So the 27-year-old father resigned himself to squeezing by on $160 a week in unemployment until the job market improves.

At a recent Mobile Food Bank distribution held in Rathdrum, Randy was able to get an assortment of fresh apples, kale, cauliflower, bread, onions and frozen French fries free of charge. The Second Harvest food will help him stay healthy and provide a nutritious diet for his young daughter when she visits. It will also free up his limited dollars so he can pay living expenses, such as rent.

"The food is great. This is a blessing."