Ruth is the type of person who would give you the shirt off her back. She always leads with kindness and strives to help others. That’s just who she is!
That’s why there were no questions about her stepping in to help raise her 11-year-old grandson. But this big transition has had its bumps along the way. With another mouth to feed, Ruth’s already tight budget is stretched to its limit.
“I had retired to take care of him … and then he needs school stuff,” Ruth says. “So, I went part time back to my job.”
Sadly, the strain on her budget is especially painful in the summer months — when the free school meals her grandson depends on aren’t available.
That’s when she decided to turn to her local food bank for help. To say it’s been a relief for Ruth is an understatement.
“It helps because I end up getting little snacks for him that otherwise I couldn’t afford,” she says. “I feel like he shouldn’t be deprived.”
But what began as a way to bridge the hunger gap became so much more. Ruth now volunteers at her local food pantry twice a week, giving back to the community that helped her family.
“I’ve been given, so I give back,” she says. “I look forward to seeing people. So, it’s really joyful. It keeps me going.”
And to those who support the food bank, she offers her heartfelt gratitude: “I appreciate every little penny they put in!”
We do, too! Thank you for helping families like Ruth’s get through the long summer months.
