Stories of Hunger

Sheila and Pat, sisters from Charleston, stopped to talk while getting food at a mobile food pantry in Charleston. Sheila had previously contracted COVID-19 and had her hours at works dropped which lead her to relying on food distributions as food sources.

“With the help of these [food distributions], it’s been a blessing,” Sheila said. “With everything going on with the pandemic and not being able to have all the things you need, because of you all, we’ve been able to keep food on the table.”

Pat hasn’t been directly affected by the virus, but she is on a small, fixed income and struggles with getting food. Balancing small budgets while paying bills is tough for both Pat and Sheila.  

“If we didn’t have these food sources, we’d have to put our pennies together and go to the store buy what little groceries we could with what cash we have left after we pay our bills,” Shelia said.

“And sometimes that wouldn’t be much at all,” Pat replied.

Both ladies are very fortunate for the food given out to them and their community. The mobile food pantry was thanks to a summer feeding grant awarded to Southeast Missouri Food Bank from Enterprise Rent-a-Car. This grant allowed multiple summer feeding food distributions throughout selected, food insecure areas in southeast Missouri.

“I appreciate everyone and thank them so much for taking the time out to help get this stuff together and do what they do,” Pat said.

“We thank the volunteers, people at the food bank and all those who make donations of any kind because it’s not only a blessing to us but to the whole community,” Sheila said.