As parents of four children, Melvin and Tina understand how difficult it can be to make ends meet, especially during the holiday season. While Melvin can work, Tina cannot due to a disability. Although they are both trying to get by, finding healthy foods on a budget can be difficult. Not only that, but due to a limited amount of income, having enough money to pay bills and buy food for their family can be a challenge.

“There are times I have to skip one bill so I can get food, and then the next month, I’ll pay that bill and skip another bill,” Tina said. Despite having to pick and choose which bills to pay each month, Melvin and Tina say there is one bill they never skip: rent. “We have a roof over our heads.”

 

Their limited income makes the couple very appreciative of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and the services they provide to families like them who are struggling to put food on
the table. “It’s a really big help. If it wasn’t for [the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank], there would be times we wouldn’t have anything to eat,” Tina says.

During the holidays, money can be tight for many families who love to connect by sharing holiday meals together. “We love the fruits and meats we receive from the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, like apples and turkey,” said Tina. “These are items we usually skip because they are expensive.”

Tina knows that hunger isn’t selective and can happen to anyone. She says, “there are a lot of people out there that really can’t afford to purchase food for meals.” That is even more true now as the pandemic shined a spotlight on the issues of hunger and how quickly a person’s life can change.

By continuing to be that glimmer of hope for so many and distribute food to families in need like Melvin and Tina’s, the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank can provide healthy, well-rounded meals not just for the holidays, but every day of the year.

2020 has been a year none of us would have ever imagined. Over the past year, the demand on the charitable food network increased by nearly 40 percent. In partnership with our member agencies, we are feeding more than 200,000 families, children, seniors and veterans per month. Many are visiting food pantries for the very first time. We anticipate the need will continue at these all-time high rates for many months to come.

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