“Our fridge is bare…but there’s a place that I can go to.”
“I know that when I’m in a tough spot, when I have a choice between paying water bills and groceries, there’s a place that I can go to.”
That’s what Franc shared with us when he visited an East Texas Food Bank pantry partner. Franc lives with his sister, her three children, and his grandfather who came to live with him after a health scare..
“I’ve been taking care of him after he had heart failure last year,” Fran said. “I went to see him in New York and thought we were going to have to bury him with how sick he was. But he survived, and I told him that it would be good for him to come back to East Texas with me.”
Franc works a warehouse job, but finds that money can be short at times with his busy household.
“I’m thankful for the job I have, but right now our fridge is bare,” he said. “That’s why I decided to come here (to the pantry) today. This is gonna give me that push until the weekend to allow me to get more funds and fill the fridge on my own.”
Franc said that the pantry always provides him plenty of options to help his family.
“They offer us a lot of vegetables, fruits and snack packs,” he said. “I know once the kids come home, they will have a snack today. That’s a good feeling.”
Franc also said that if anyone is struggling to provide for their family, they should check into food pantries where they live. “It makes a big difference,” he said. “They are not gonna turn anyone away that’s hungry or in need.”
Finally, Franc wanted to share his appreciation for those that help his family.
“They are helping people in the community that really need it like myself,” he said. “It’s a big thank you!”
If you would like to help families like Franc’s that the East Texas Food Bank works to feed each day, you can make a donation online, volunteer with us or host a virtual food drive.