Dear Friend,
Recent statistics from Feeding America estimate that 5.5 million people age 60 and over experience hunger in the United States. That’s 1 out of every 14 seniors across the country.
Too often, seniors living on fixed incomes face impossible choices. And colder weather generally means higher energy bills — and often increased hardship. Do they pay their bills or buy groceries? Do they pay for medications, or do they buy food? These are choices none of us should have to make.
With your help, we’re working to relieve seniors of their burden of hunger, but there’s still a lot of work to do. I’m sure you share my passion to ensure that seniors don’t face hunger in the coming years… starting now!
I hope you enjoy meeting some of the neighbors you help in this issue of News From the Heart. As you read through these stories, please think of the seniors in your life — and in our community. Then please take a moment to give your best gift to help provide nourishing food for older adults and neighbors in need.
Remember, every $1 can help provide 3 meals. Thank you for your kindness and compassion.
Gratefully,
Lisa Scales
President and CEO
It Is Such a Blessing!
Kristie lives with her husband and her stepson, but says she often has her grandbabies with her throughout the week as well. The rising cost of food and utilities makes it tough to have enough food on hand for everyone she needs to feed, even though she and her husband both work.
“We’re usually right on the verge where we make too much, but not enough to really get what we need,” Kristie explains.
Being able to come to The Market twice a month has made all the difference in the world for Kristie and her family. And she says the kind, accommodating staff and volunteers make shopping for groceries a good experience.
“It is such a blessing,” she says. “It helps to not feel so helpless and just depressed trying to feed your family.”
Kristie is not alone in her efforts to stretch her household budget to cover continually climbing prices. Neighbors throughout southwestern Pennsylvania are trying to afford what they need with incomes that aren’t keeping up with cost increases.
“I’m sure the whole community is happy because it helps everybody,” says Charles, another Market shopper. Like many neighbors, Charles says it’s changed his life to know he has access to healthy food here, and the selection is great.
“I can always count on it when I need food,” he says. “I call them, and they seem to have everything I really need. It’s a blessing.”
Another neighbor, Billie, says she lost $115 in assistance when emergency food benefits were cut last year. She’s grateful for the kind people who work at The Market and the nourishing food she can get here.
“I work part time, but I’m retired. I’m on Social Security, and I still need the help,” Billie explains. “They’ve helped a lot.”
Because of you, thousands of neighbors can shop for the groceries they need and feel the added stability of having healthy food available at home. Thank you!
Nutrition To Fuel Their Day
Samantha works full time for an ophthalmologist and is enrolled in a nursing program. As an employee, a student and a mom, she tries to make every dollar stretch.
Her 15-year-old daughter is involved in lots of school activities, and it’s important to Samantha that she can give her nourishing food to fuel her day. With the rising cost of food, that’s become a bigger challenge.
“There are definitely months that I almost don’t make it, and I don’t qualify for assistance because I work full time,” Samantha explains. “It definitely helps me and my daughter get through.”
She is grateful for the nutritious choices at The Market and loves that there are so many healthy options available. She says The Market also gives them the opportunity to try foods that might be new to them.
“Sometimes your pride gets in the way, and it makes it hard to ask for help. But this makes it to where you still feel like you still have some type of dignity by having the option to choose,” she says.
Samantha says the Food Bank is here for her at a time when eating healthy is unaffordable and federal programs don’t help her fill the gap. Visiting The Market every month has made a tremendous difference.
“I really don’t know what I would do without the Food Bank, honestly,” Samantha says.
While she knows her budget will have more wiggle room once she’s finished with her nursing degree, until then, she’s thankful for friends like you who make programs like The Market possible.
Your support is helping families access nutritious food to promote good health and power their busy days. Thank you!
“We Are Here To Help”
We’ve talked a lot about the impact the cuts to pandemic-era SNAP benefits have had over the last year, and Food Bank volunteers and employees see these hardships firsthand. Darnell Clark, on-site coordinator for The Market on Linden Street, has his share of stories. He’s been with Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank for six years, and has worked at The Market since it first opened in September 2022.
“I have a lot of stories about how much people used to have in food stamps, but they cut our food stamps,” Darnell explains. “So now they’re pushed to come here to shop more. They don’t have as much money as they did through the food stamps.”
Darnell spends his time not only keeping The Market running smoothly but really getting to know the neighbors who come in. He’s found that learning about someone and what brings them to The Market helps him connect and make them feel comfortable.
“Sometimes they’re not in the right state of mind … or have no one to talk to or vent to,” Darnell explains. “Sometimes I do get a little personal with our guests because sometimes they might need it and that’s why I’m here. I love it. I love it every day.”
The Market provides produce, frozen foods, meat, dairy and pantry items in a grocery store setting that allows shoppers to pick what they need and what they’ll use. In the first 10 months that the facility was open, they’d already served more than 4,800 households and reached over 10,000 individuals.
For Darnell, watching someone’s facial expression when they see what’s available to them — and making someone smile — is one of the reasons he loves working in The Market.
“For us to be able to provide the things that we provide is very warming, and it’s very exciting once you see that guest start off with a sad face and end up with a smile at the end of shopping through The Market. It’s amazing,” he says.
His message to the neighbors who come for food assistance is simple, but it reaches the core of what the Food Bank aims to accomplish: “I just like to inform all of our guests that we are here to help you guys. We know you’re going through a rough time, and we’re here just to loosen and lighten that up for you just by providing the food that we have there for you.”
Thank you for helping neighbors through tough times. Your support helps make programs like The Market possible!
“It’s About Helping Each Other Out”
Michael visits The Market on Linden Street as often as his work schedule allows. He’s thankful for the food he can pick up, and says it goes a long way to supplement what he’s able to purchase at the grocery store.
Because he has transportation and can easily get to The Market, Michael likes to distribute any extra food to his neighbors who don’t always have access. He knows of older neighbors who have a hard time getting to the store, so he likes to take care of delivering food to them as well.
“It’s not just about me, but helping other people too,” Michael says. “That’s what we’re on this earth to do — help each other.”
He appreciates the variety and the choices offered at The Market. And being able to provide his friends and family with whatever they might need is an added bonus for him.
“It’s about helping each other out,” he says.
Your support is helping to spread food and hope in our community. Thank you!