What a great day when someone says thanks!
A young mother and wife – came to tell me they had just moved into their own home and could she change her address? As I worked through her data and talked with her about where life had taken her – she then said: “I need you to know that without this food there were some days we wouldn’t have been able to eat. We aren’t “okay” yet, and we still need your help but someday we are going to repay your kindness!”
I got a little chocked up for a minute --- I was stuck on her thought of not being “okay” --- I was finally able to tell her – “You are OKAY – and you are better than OKAY! You needed help, you sought it out, you are working toward a better day for yourselves – You ARE okay!”
This is the hard part of this job – knowing people don’t think they are “okay”….that they are less than what is perceived to be a normal.
I know it’s hard. I know life is tough. I know life can deal some hard blows. I know…..
“OKAY” shouldn’t be the standard that we live by……
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Twenty two young women from Pakistan, Afghanistan and India worked here one day – they were visiting through a Leadership program with Green River Community College. Providing help and possibilities: GRCC hosts ambassador program to assist women from other countries - Auburn Reporter* What a delight they were! Beautiful, smart, young women who want to learn a way to make their home life and country a better place to live. We start our day by sharing with them about what a food bank is, how we operate, who we serve and how we can work together to make a difference in the lives of others. They then work alongside our volunteers – sorting food, repackaging, serving our clients directly. At the end of the day, they hear about “Kayla’s Story” – how she lived – sometimes on the streets, how she managed through abuse, how she made a choice to better her life – and now today is a productive, working single mom, raising sons and taking care of her mother in her own home. The “light” that we saw come into the eyes of these young women made a big impact on us!
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Last year we saw 600 new families who registered for service and that household count has held steady through this year – but our 2nd visits to the food bank have increased dramatically – serving 6900 MORE individuals than last year for the first 6 months…….7739 households / 32,579 individuals…….we often wonder how we are keeping up? Food has been coming in – but we are also purchasing more than we’ve had to before. We are grateful that we haven’t had to cut services to our clients! YOUR donations – no matter the size – keep us going and giving!
If you have a garden – don’t forget you can share with the food bank! Moving? Cleaning out a home of a loved one who has passed on? Pantry full of things the family doesn’t want to eat? Bring it down --- we can use it!
Don’t forget our drop off site at the SW corner of Top Food & Drug on Auburn Way North! (see picture attached!)
Don’t forget to check our web site – www.theauburnfoodbank.org – for ideas or a way to donate!
Don’t forget that every day there is a family going hungry.
During these summer months – it’s not unusual to have a mom and 3 kids sitting in the lobby and you hear “when’s it our turn, Mommy, I’m hungry?!”
I had Pastor one time say – “find a need and fill it…..” There are tummy’s you can fill!
Thanks for all YOU do --
Debbie Christian
Executive Director
