27 March 2013

Every week, Crystal comes to The Salvation Army food bank in Renton, WA, to help stretch her grocery dollars. The stay-at-home mom has a husband who works in the construction field, and two growing kids – so she knows that her grocery budget won’t last all month.

She also knows the importance of fresh food and produce for her family. Fruits and vegetables are her favorite items to receive from the food bank, because she can’t afford to purchase these expensive items at the grocery store. These items are especially important as she tries to stabilize her 12-year-old daughter’s medical issues (including Type 1 Diabetes). The non-processed foods and fresh produce are critical in helping to regulate her daughter’s blood sugar.

The whole family benefits as well. These days, when few families have time to eat dinner together, Crystal makes it a priority. She enjoys visiting the food bank and finding what is available to her. And she welcomes the challenge of using the produce, even when she isn’t familiar with it. Last month she received some greens that she hadn’t tried before, and used them in a recipe she found online. She reports that the entire family enjoyed it.