Katie is a 24-year-old Saranac resident who lost her job at a bookstore due to the pandemic. She lives with her mother and younger sister who also work in retail. When all three of them lost their jobs in March, Katie wasn’t sure how they’d make ends meet.
Then, her sister heard about an upcoming Mobile Food Pantry — the first of six the food bank brought to her community to help neighbors during the pandemic.
At each of the distributions, Katie received fresh produce and other food for herself and her mother and sister.
“I’m really grateful, because otherwise we wouldn’t know where to get food,” she said.
These groceries supplemented items she purchased from the store. Since her mother and sister are immune compromised, she took on the responsibility of shopping in order to keep them safe.
“It’s a great experience. The volunteers really try their best and take time out of their day to take care of everyone,” she said.