Giving and Receiving
6/11/2013 8:52:00 AM
 Shannon has been coming to food distributions for years. She started coming as a volunteer as a way to give back to the community.
After getting married, having children and enduring life circumstances, she is now coming to extend her budget. Shannon continues to volunteer each week, but she also goes through the line. She home schools her children and also baby-sits a couple kids to help make ends meet. Her husband also works full-time, but at the end of the month, “it doesn’t always work out,” said Shannon.
Make no mistake about it; Shannon will be attending a weekly distribution for as long as she can – mostly as a volunteer and occasionally as a food recipient.
|
Trying to Make Ends Meet
4/17/2013 2:08:00 PM
 Vallary had been struggling to find employment for quite some time. She bounced from many part-time jobs, until she decided she should better herself and finally pursue a degree. Soon after she started toward her degree her husband left home. This left her with the kids to care for all on her own and her school bills. This only added to her continuing struggles to make ends meet.
She recently found work as a paid intern in the computer industry while working on her degree. But her minimal income is far from adequate and not meeting her family’s needs.
Vallary says, “Times are tough and I don’t have the experience many employers want. Plus I have little ones to take care of.”
Even with food assistance from the Food Bank, Vallary is short at the end of each month.
“The Food Bank usually has pretty good stuff. And everyone in my family appreciates the help. Right now, we are searching for a little more help.”
Vallary is not unlike many other friends of the Food Bank of Lincoln. She is in need of food and hope.
|
A Series of Hardship
3/28/2013 11:11:00 AM
 John has spent the majority of his adult life working in the plumbing industry. In 2009, the company he had been with for years down-sized after finishing up with two large projects. Unfortunately, John was one of many let go. Luckily, John had been in the industry for quite some time, and met little resistance when it came to getting hired on with another plumbing company.
John spent roughly a year at his new employer before, they, like the previous employer, cut their staff. This time, it was much tougher for John to stay on his feet. Most businesses weren’t hiring or looking to grow. So, John hit the road as a truck driver.
John drove truck for two years and saw nearly every part of the country. “Driving truck was peaceful, but it is not for me. I’ve been working hands on my entire life and I’m not the type who can sit behind a wheel and be comfortable. I want to see the work I’m doing and plumbing was that,” stated John.
John recently decided to quit his driving job in hopes of finding another plumbing job. He has yet to find one and is now forced to be very cautious where to spend the little money he has left.
“It’s not that I want to be here, I have to be. I wouldn’t have much to eat otherwise. I know many people are in much worse situations than me, so I feel bad that I’m potentially taking food from somebody that may need it more than I,” commented John.
Contrary to his belief, John’s story is similiar to many others standing in line for food. Many looking for work, some working multiple jobs to make ends meet and too often, that’s not enough.
John says, “I’m giving it another month to find employment in the plumbing industry. If I can’t, I have no choice but to get back on the road.”
John is the face of hunger.
|
Surviving on Hope
2/19/2013 10:13:00 AM
 Hugo met the Food Bank of Lincoln shortly after losing his job that supported his wife and three children. SNAP Outreach workers quickly helped Hugo apply for SNAP benefits and also connected his family with many other resources available throughout the city.
“SNAP dollars were our means to survive after I lost my job. We made the food stretch as far as possible. This was a tough time for me as a man, I could no longer provide for my family,” commented Hugo.
Hugo tried time and time again to find gainful employment. He was finally hired as a temp worker and that helped, but he knew that it was not going to last and again was faced with painful realities. “There were times when we would bring groceries home and the kids’ eyes were huge, we all felt normal, it was pure excitement. Other times, I couldn’t put gas in our only car; I didn’t have a single dollar for an ice cream cone. We had Christmas with no presents. The only thing we survived on was hope. Hope that came from the Food Bank staff that did not give up on us,” recalled Hugo.
Hugo’s time on SNAP was luckily cut short, thanks to an organization taking a chance on him. Today, he is helping others who are in need. Trying to connect them to similar resources he was once pointed toward. Hugo’s wife is also working and his family is now collecting and donating food to the Food Bank. He wants to make sure his family remembers how blessed they’ve been. Hugo said, “We were blessed the day were started receiving food assistance. We are again blessed and able to give some food back to those in need through our Church. It is important for my family to connect others with the Food Bank and other resources around.”
“We had nothing – zero. It is possible to pick yourself up; it’s not easy and often very humbling. The Food Bank was our angel.”
Hugo and his family are the faces of hunger.
|
Meet Shanae
1/2/2013 2:50:00 PM
 Shanae is a stay at home mother of four children. Her husband works full-time but brings home a below average wage. When her family began struggling, they started receiving SNAP (Food Stamps) assistance. Her oldest daughter is a full-time student while working part-time as a way to help with transportation and schooling costs. Under SNAP guidelines, the family is required to claim her income as part of the overall family income. With the additional earnings, the family is only dollars over the income limits to qualify for benefits. This means, no more assistance.
“Nobody wants to be left wondering how they are going to provide for their family especially this time of year”, commented Shanae.
For now, Shanae plans to utilize the Food Bank's Neighborhood Food Programs and provide some food for her family.
Shanae and her family are the faces of hunger.
|
Our Blog is changing over to "Faces of Hunger".
1/2/2013 1:39:00 PM
 This section of our website is changing to Faces of Hunger. Coming Soon!
|
|
