The Faces of Hunger & those Suffering in Lake County
The faces of hunger in Lake County come in many forms. Below are a few of these faces and the stories behind them.
Henry
Henry is 5. If it weren't for the local food pantry his mother visits, he would go to bed hungry more often than he already does. His mother Cathy is struggling to keep a roof over his head in the small Wickliffe apartment they share and cannot afford groceries on a regular basis. She's been homeless before but is determined to never let this happen again. Cathy is grateful for the support she receives from her local food bank. Her local food bank is grateful for the food they receive from us.
Zoey
Zoey is 5 and lives with her single 32-year old mother Ada, who has worked 2 jobs since Zoey was born. She relies on food from her local food pantry but is falling behind on her car payment and utility bills. She has enough savings for 3 month’s rent and is terrified of what will happen beyond this. Sadly, Ada and Zoey are not alone.
Gracie
Gracie is 83 years old and lives alone in the home she and her husband shared in Mentor for 50 years. Her husband passed away three years ago and her grown children do not live nearby to offer help. Gracie lives on a meager budget and most of it is spent on medication. As her cost of living and meds continue to rise, she relies on her church's food bank for help. Her church's food bank relies on us.
Rebeka & David
Rebeka and David Brooks’ father lost his job due.Their mother works part-time as a hair stylist. Their parents are struggling to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. Rebeka and David are worried about their dad. He is sad and never smiles. They’ve even seen him cry. The Brooks are hanging on by a thread. And there are many more Lake County families just like them who need our help.
Linda
Linda is a 33 year old single mother who lives in Madison with her two children, ages 5 and 7. She has fallen on hard times. Linda does not receive child support and her hours at work were recently cut to part-time. She cannot make ends meet and is never sure where meals for her children will come from next. Linda relies on her local food pantry for help. Her local food pantry relies on us.
Luke
Luke worked hard for the same company for 30 years before being laid off at 46 years old. He's been searching for a new job for many months with no luck. Lifeline's 2-1-1 help hotline referred Luke and his family to a local food kitchen in Painesville and they are thankful for the warm meals they have access to until they get back on their feet. The local food kitchen is thankful to us for helping them stock their shelves with food to feed Luke and his family and hundreds more like them.
Click here for details on hunger and poverty in Lake County,