Living with Lived Experience, Conquering Hunger

It was 1990 and newly divorced, single mother Leslie left an abusive relationship with two little girls in hand but nothing else. She had no money, left behind a great career, the beautiful home she had built, and her family and friends since high school — her whole life history, left behind, to keep herself and her children safe.

Although that dangerous situation was behind her, her little family faced another hardship: hunger. “It is humiliating to know you have no choice but to ask for help – especially when your family were givers. But when you are there, you just bite your tongue, lower your head, and do it,” Leslie says now, reflecting back on that time. However, it was the holiday season and with so many expenses of moving to a new state, she found herself needing to ask for help. So, that is what Leslie did. She reached out to her nearest food bank and got what she needed for herself and children.

Once Leslie got a job and was able to get the girls settled into a new normal, the family began volunteering regularly at their food bank. “I want others to know that having a place to get a box of food – and a Turkey for Thanksgiving! – with smiles, hugs, and no judgement made such a difference. Even after I no longer needed help, I am still helping others receive the help and encouragement that was given to me,” she said. Leslie wants to encourage people who need the help to go and get it – and encourage folks to give if they can.

As the COVID-19 pandemic impacted another holiday season, Leslie’s own experience had her thinking of how families must feel, especially those who have lost income and need the extra help. “All these families who had to make the choice to ask for help this year in light of losing their income during COVID-19, need to know this: There is no stigma to eating!” Leslie says of asking for help. Leslie feels fortunate to now be in a position to help others, by making a monthly donation to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina.

Due to the devastating impact of COVID-19, the Food Bank saw a staggering increase of about 11% in need over the last year, approximately 588,240 people who didn’t always know where their next meal would come from. A lot of those people had also never faced hunger before.

Your support during these challenging times means that families like Leslie’s won’t have to make hard choices between paying for food or other necessities. Learn more about how you can give back through a donation or volunteering at the Food Bank.