Author: TEAM ABOVO

Ashley Brager does everything she can to help her 5-year-old son with autism not cry out over hunger. There is no worse sound in the world as far as Ashley is concerned. While struggling with mental health issues herself, when times are difficult she finds needed resources within a pair of Great Plains Food Bank partner food pantries to help the young family get by.

Donna Ricker has been the primary caregiver for her daughter, Jodahna, who is stricken with spastic cerebral palsy, for nearly four decades. For assistance through years of difficult times, the two have utilized the Great Plains Food Bank partner agency network for help. And they remained thankful for all that they have to this day.

Each weekday you can find Arge Laddusaw volunteering at the Emergency Food Pantry in Fargo, a partner agency of the Great Plains Food Bank. Forced into retirement due to health reasons and with a Social Security and SNAP payment that only takes him so far, Arge also visits the Emergency Food Pantry to receive needed food assistance. Spending time volunteering is his way of giving back.

Amanda Jackson knows the feeling of being homeless all too well. That feeling is compounded when attempting to offer a life of opportunity for her nine-year-old daughter, who struggles with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). But despite struggles that would break a lot of families, Amanda and her daughter, Kylen, remain positive saying simply, “what else can you do?”

Life hasn’t always been as steady as it is right now for Barbara Villella and due to a series of unfortunate events in her past, she knows that she is always one paycheck away from needing food assistance again. She now spends a lot of her time at the Prairie Roots Food Co-op advocating for healthy food options for those in need.

Julie Herbel works as a librarian at the New Town Public Library. She noticed many children were coming in hungry after school each day and wished to do something about it. But she struggled to find the healthy food options she desired. The Great Plains Food Bank Pop-up Perishable Food Program has provided those resources and has helped fill a critical need for hungry children in New Town.

Noella Thomas’ grandmother passed down to her the tradition of hosting a large family dinner each Sunday night. It’s important to her she continue the tradition, but there are months when it takes a toll on the family’s food supply. Noella has found benefits from a Great Plains Food Bank partner agency to fill fill the void and allow her to continue a tradition.

Xavier Harvey was living in South Carolina when he was the victim of gun violence and needed to relocate. He came to Fargo where he settled now with a wife and three children. With a full household, the family struggles from time to time to come up with enough food. The Emergency Food Pantry, a partner agency of the Great Plains Food Bank, has provided a supplement when the family falls short.

Marsha Bachman arrived at a Great Plains Food Bank Pop-up Perishable Food Program distribution with a $20 bill. What food she wasn’t able to collect at the distribution the $20 would need to cover when she went to the grocery story later. The food program allowed Marsha to make her grocery money stretch farther.

Kari Thomas is sometimes able to go a few months between visits to her local food pantry, but other months their cupboards get bare and are in need of help. When the months come when the cupboards become bare, Kari has found useful food assistance from a pair of Great Plains Food Bank programs and services – a partner food pantry and BackPack Program.