Access to Nutritious Foods

Families trying to stretch a grocery budget often remove fresh, nutritious items replacing it with calorie-dense and nutritionally-deficient foods. Second Harvest Food Bank helps increase access to fresh produce, lean meats and dairy to provide well-rounded meals for neighbors facing hunger, like Sam.

At nine years old, Sam had the weight of the world on his shoulders. In the last year, he had lost his dad and his home. He was borderline diabetic, struggled in school and didn’t sleep well. His family of six was living in a cramped motel room with all of their possessions in banana boxes. On a rainy afternoon, he and his mom walked into one of Second Harvest’s feeding partners at their wits end.

Sam’s eyes lit up when he saw the shelves. He grabbed bananas – his favorite – and then oranges and avocados. “Mom, can we eat this for dinner? I don’t want any more fast food.”

After that, Sam and his family became familiar faces at the food pantry, where they received pantry staples, fresh produce and meats. When his birthday came around, Sam’s one request was a little out of the ordinary. He wanted a grill. “But not a fancy one,” he said. “I don’t want it to get stolen.”

Through the generosity of strangers, Sam got his wish. He learned how to safely light the grill and enjoyed preparing food for his family. His favorite thing to grill was fruits and vegetables. He tried them all.

Thanks to regular access to nutritious foods, Sam and his family could focus on thriving.

This is the healing and restorative power of food that you make possible.