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Feeding Hope: Jocelyn’s Story
“One day at a time. We’re going to be okay.”
Jocelyn expressed hope for the future as she and her husband waited in line for a drive-thru Mobile Market distribution. This was their first time at a Mobile Market event.
Jocelyn’s hope didn’t come without concerns, though. An employee in the facilities department at a local university, she was worried she’d lose her job soon due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She said the department was planning to lay off several people at the end of the month. A layoff would not only mean a dramatic decrease in family income but also loss of medical insurance. After a cancer diagnosis in 2017, Jocelyn still needs regular check-ups. Without insurance, she wasn’t sure she could continue to visit her doctor.
“I’m very thankful for the people behind this. Thank you very much for being generous and having a big heart.”
Even with her current job, Jocelyn was already concerned about her family’s finances. “When it comes to budget, it’s really tight,” she said. Increased food prices in grocery stores due to the COVID-19 pandemic made it harder to afford the food her family needs. “We have to think about what is really important and what are necessities.”
Still, Jocelyn had a positive attitude. Knowing that she could get food, especially produce, to cook meals for her family lifted her spirits. “Don’t lose hope. It’s not going to help us. In life, there’s ups and downs,” she said. She was grateful for everyone who supported the Mobile Market distribution for helping make this particular “down” time a little bit easier. “I’m very thankful for the people behind this. Thank you very much for being generous and having a big heart.”
Gonzaga’s Dusty Stromer and Zilch: Teaming up to end hunger – March 29
Dusty Stromer understood from a young age that while his family had enough to eat, others in his circle were not so fortunate. Dusty had a courtside seat to food insecurity — he says that by age 10, he knew some of his friends came from households where food was not reliably available.
A freshman shooting guard on the men’s basketball team at Gonzaga University, Dusty recently got a close look at the fight against hunger by touring Second Harvest’s warehouse and helping to distribute free food through its Zilch program.
Grocery Rescue: Changing lives daily – March 22
Your visit to a local grocery store may seem like a routine, unimportant chore. That perfect strawberry, tomato or apple you select is made possible because different departments of your neighborhood store carefully maintain a standard for each product. But what happens when the banana is too green, or the strawberries are too ripe? That product is stranded and without rescue would find its way to the landfill. Thanks to stores partnering with Second Harvest’s Grocery Rescue program, that nutritious food is shared with partner agencies throughout the 26 counties in Eastern Washington and North Idaho served by Second Harvest.
Winter 2024 Newsletter – March 15
Check out the latest news from Second Harvest. Serving people facing hunger across the Inland Northwest.
Feeding Eastern Washington and North Idaho
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