Author: TEAM ABOVO

When John Fjestad Byklum hears the sterotype that receiving food assistance is just, as he puts it, a “free hand out,” he is quick to explain how much it helps his family of five. “It helps us to survive,” he responds. Through his local food pantry and the Great Plains Food Bank BackPack Program, John is able to come up with enough food to feed his family.

Medical issues currently prevent William Andrews, commonly known as “Willy,” from working. Money became tight for his family of four when he suffered a stroke. He found food assistance through the Great Plains Food Bank partner agency network that has helped to fill a critical void.

Kristine Christensen says her two adopted grandsons would eat around the clock if she would let them. The 53-year-old has been on disability since 2004 and is constantly running out of food items for the household. Without the assistance from her local food pantry, she states simply, “we would be hungry.”

A widowed 81-year-old grandmother and great grandmother, Rose Kurst paints a picture that is all too common for many North Dakota seniors. With a monthly Social Security check as her main source of income, she is often forced to make difficult choices between paying for food and paying for other necessities. Her local food pantry helps her in difficult times.

Debra Way had a life she was proud of. Working as a general manager at a restaurant, her future husband and her were planning the rest of their lives together when tough times struck. She quickly found herself in need of help in the midst of a battle with chronic depression and suicide. Food assistance has provided her a means to get by.