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feeding hope: Joel and maria’s story
Cars lined up almost a mile long in the streets of Grandview with people waiting for Second Harvest’s Mobile Market food distribution to begin. Sitting in their white Ford pickup, Joel and Maria have been waiting for over an hour.
This is their first time attending a Mobile Market event, and their relief is visible on their faces. “A friend told us about it. I don’t even know what we’ll be getting, but I’m already so happy this is here,” Maria said. Joel followed up with, “I’m happy she told us to come early!”
Both Joel and Maria are still working, but at very reduced hours. Joel works in landscaping, and business has been much slower than normal this year. Maria is a house cleaner and says, “There’s only about a quarter of the houses I usually clean. It’s been very hard.”
“This is an answer to our prayers. thank you so much, and god bless you.”
They’re grateful that Joel’s mom, Esther, lives with them and can help with their two kids – ages two and four. It’s allowed Joel and Maria to be more flexible picking up odd jobs or helping friends for some extra cash. But, even with the extra help, it’s been a difficult year. The odd jobs have started to slow down, and the bills have begun to pile up.
“We’re really scared because it seems like this will never end,” Maria said. They’re worried that if things don’t change soon, they’ll have to move to Texas to live with Maria’s brother. That’s why they’re so relieved to be receiving help from Second Harvest today. “This is going to be so helpful. Thank you, thank you.” Joel said.
“This is an answer to our prayers,” Maria said. “Thank you so much, and God bless you.”

How to Host a Fundraiser – September 22
Looking for a fun way to celebrate your birthday, company event or holiday? Hosting a fundraiser for Second Harvest is easy and makes an impact. You can raise funds online or host a food drive in person. We’ll give you the tools to get set up, share your event and start collecting. Every dollar donated makes a difference for neighbors experiencing food insecurity.

Serving Those Who Serve Our Country – September 15
Steve and his wife both retired from the Army, and he also spent time as a civil engineer in the Navy. His career has been a life of service to our country. Today, he is a member of the civilian workforce at Fairchild Air Force Base.
With economics the way they are today, Steve accesses Second Harvest Mobile Market free food distributions on base.
Naturally cheery, Steve manages a smile even when he explains “Times are hard.” Simultaneously, he proudly adds, “We have two kids, 13 and 14. They eat like crazy and are growing like mad.”

Back to School with Bite2Go – September 8
Bite2Go is a weekend food program for students facing chronic food shortages at home. Bite2Go gives children access to a mix of nutritious, nonperishable and ready-to-eat meals and snacks for the weekend, helping kids return to school ready to learn on Mondays. At the heart of the program is the adoptive organization. Bite2Go relies on businesses, churches and civic groups to “adopt” a school, and through that engagement and funding model, provide students with food for the weekends through the school year.

Feeding Eastern Washington and North Idaho
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