By Antonn Bryant | Corporate & Foundations Relations Associate
Twenty-two-year-old Mindy and her three-year-old daughter live with her parents in Medford. Her father is still working, but her mother had to stop due to illness. Like too many in eastern Massachusetts, even though a family member is working, Mindy’s family can’t afford the food they need to stay active and healthy. She and her family receive healthy foods each month from The Greater Boston Food Bank’s (GBFB) Mobile Market at the Hallmark Health System, Women, Infants and Children (WIC) offices in Malden.
“I came to WIC because I wanted my daughter to be healthy, and they have really helped me with all my struggles. I don’t know where I’d be without the people here.
“When my mom got sick and had to stop working, we cut back on everything. There just wasn’t enough to pay all the bills. Plus, we realized the healthy food that is good for my daughter was expensive.
"The monthly market at WIC makes a big difference for us. My mom and I shop together, and she loves the fresh vegetables and fruits they have. Cooking her special dishes for us makes her happy. Getting meat and the basics, like pasta and rice, means we can save on our grocery budget. I can take that money and provide a better life for my daughter.
"I also started volunteering at the mobile market and, a few years ago, WIC hired me as a program assistant. I staff the front desk, and part of my job is to help with client registration for the GBFB food distribution.
"I’m so grateful for the help my family is receiving and the skills that I have learned, but I see others who are a lot worse off – people who are really struggling. I’m glad to see them getting help, and to be part of that work. Because there are many places in the world where there is no help. We’re lucky.”
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