Kelly volunteering at a food pantry in Knightdale. She wanted to give back after they gave her food for her own family.
Kelly was in a dire situation when she drove into the parking lot of Community Helpers, one of our partner agencies in Knightdale. Fighting cancer for the fourth time, she just endured a surgery that left her barely able to walk. She had a disabled child and grandchildren at home who needed to eat. She had nothing to give them and no family nearby who could help.
“I was sick, skinny, scared and crying,” Kelly said about that first visit to the food pantry when she received the food she desperately needed for her family. Kelly was physically unable to get out of her car. Volunteers approached her, and when she told them about her situation, one simply said, “Don’t worry. We’re going to take care of you.”
We asked Kelly what she would have done without the emergency food that day. Kelly replied, “I don’t know.” Far too ill to work, she was running out of options.
But thanks to our partner food pantry, compassionate volunteers, and our generous community, Kelly was able to take a box of food home to her family. Because of your continued support, Kelly was able to set aside some of her worry during a time when she was fighting for her life. The food you helped provide not only got Kelly and her family through the rest of a very tough month, but it lifted their spirits when not much else could.
“I was suffering,” Kelly said. “And strangers pulled me in and received me like family. They gave me hope. I was so glad to receive the food.”
Kelly now volunteers at that food pantry as she carries on her fight against a terrible disease. She packs boxes of food and shares her story with the neighbors she meets, giving them the comfort that was so critical to her own survival. We are in awe of Kelly’s strength, and her story serves as a reminder of the power of compassion, community, and hope.
How you can help: Ensure that our partner agencies like Community Helpers always have food on the shelves for people in need by making an online donation. For every dollar donated, we can provide ten dollars worth of food to our partners.
