Stephanie relied on food assistance for herself and her daughter more than a decade ago, when she was a young, single mom trying to make ends meet, but hadn’t needed to seek help since. Then, the COVID-19 crisis hit and Andy, her husband, could no longer work his real estate job.
Stephanie and Andy weren’t sure he’d be eligible for unemployment so, to ensure their three teenage sons had enough to eat, they went through the line to receive food at Bay Mills Community College, where Stephanie works. The family didn’t end up needing to attend the following month, but chose to volunteer as a way to give back.
“No one should feel bad about going to accept food,” Stephanie said. “We all have situations come about that we have no control over. Sometimes, it’s hard to reach out for help. So that’s why I wanted to volunteer — because I know that I’ve been in that situation before.”
Whatever their circumstance, all Michiganders deserve to have food on the table. The food bank is proud to support resilient families during the pandemic and beyond.