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The other day, I stood at the gas pump watching the numbers climb higher and higher until my total landed just a few dollars short of $100. I remember feeling my chest tighten as I put the nozzle back, already mentally rearranging my month. Which errands could wait? Which route would save the most gas? What part of my budget would need to shrink just to make room for another tank? The truth is, it’s not just the gas prices. When fuel costs rise, everything rises with it — groceries, services, household essentials, and everyday necessities. Just when it feels like inflation couldn’t possibly climb any higher, it somehow does.

As I drove away, I found myself thinking about the families we serve. Many stand at those same gas pumps feeling the same stress and uncertainty, but for them, there is no extra room in the budget. Higher gas prices often mean taking money away from rent, prescriptions, utilities, or groceries just to make it through the week.

This spring, we have already seen an 15% increase in guests seeking food assistance; in April we served 700 more guests than normal. We anticipate rising inflation and changing SNAP regulations will continue to impact even more families in our community before our next fiscal year hits.

While our guests rely on the food bank during difficult seasons, we also rely on the compassion and generosity of individuals, businesses, volunteers, and community partners who faithfully help carry this work forward. Their kindness continues to bring hope to neighbors who need it most.

Every Thursday, our Pantry on Wheels (POW) team loads the refrigerated van with fresh produce, pantry staples, milk, meat, and protein drinks then drives out to a low-income senior citizen in the community. But what these POW volunteers deliver goes far beyond food. For Martha living in one of these communities, POW has been a lifeline.

Due to unreliable transportation, Martha constantly struggles to get to the grocery store. Not only that, living on Social Security income with rising medical costs made things even harder. “My health insurance has increased drastically, and it’s been hard to cover daily prescriptions,” Martha shared. “At the end of the month, I’d have to choose between medication and food.”

Now, Martha’s monthly Pantry on Wheels delivery brings both joy and peace of mind, easing the burden of having to choose between food and her medication. She appreciates the assortment of options, especially the meat and milk that have become too expensive to buy regularly. “The program helps keep food in my cupboard and food in my fridge,” she said.

For many families facing food insecurity, birthdays can feel impossible to celebrate when every dollar is needed for groceries, rent, gas, or medical expenses. That is why our team created birthday kits — special bags filled with cake mix, frosting, candles, decorations, and party supplies designed to help parents create joyful moments for their children during difficult seasons. More than just supplies, these kits reflect that every child deserves to be celebrated and loved on their special day.

This summer, those birthday kits will include something new: a book of their very own.

That addition is thanks to Viduni, a 15-year-old with a big heart and an inspiring vision. Inside her parents’ garage, shelves are lined with carefully sorted children’s books organized by age and reading level. What began as a passion project on her 13th birthday has grown into “Folsom Book Bank USA,” a mission dedicated to helping children build home libraries and discover a lifelong love of reading.

Viduni personally collects, sorts, and checks every donated book before finding it a new home. So far, she has donated more than 1,200 books to schools, after-school programs, and communities as far as Sri Lanka.

Now, her generosity will help bring even more joy to children visiting the food bank — sparking their imagination, wonder, and hope through reading.

Some people leave an imprint on a place so deeply that it becomes impossible to imagine it without them. That’s Alice Ross.

As we stepped into 2026 and made plans to celebrate 40 years of serving our community, we realized there is one person who has faithfully walked alongside this ministry for half of that journey. Longer than any of our staff, volunteers, or even board members, Alice has been a steady, compassionate presence through seasons of growth, challenge, and change.

Twenty years ago, after retiring from her career as a preschool teacher, Alice began volunteering at the food pantry founded by her church, Trinity Episcopal. What started as a simple desire to serve quickly became a lasting ministry of presence, kindness, and love. Back then, when the food bank still operated a clothing closet, Alice faithfully served there every week. When Trinity took over the clothing ministry so Twin Lakes Food Bank could focus fully on food services, Alice decided to serve both ministries—bringing her servant’s heart to Meet & Dairy, where she continues to serve today.

Every week, Alice shows up with the same gentle spirit and welcoming smile. From the moment guests meet her, there’s a sense of ease she brings with her. She has a remarkable way of helping people feel comfortable, cared for, and known. It’s not uncommon to see her grab a toy for a child, accompanying their parents, or pause to ask a guest about something they shared weeks earlier. Alice remembers people. She follows up. She listens intentionally.

In doing so, she makes guests feel seen in a way that stays with them. For many of our guests, Alice feels less like a volunteer and more like an old friend. Watching her interact with people warms our hearts because her care is never rushed or performative. It’s genuine. Quiet. Consistent. The kind of kindness that leaves a lasting impact long after a grocery visit ends.

And her service doesn’t stop at the food bank doors.

Alice continues to volunteer at Trinity each week, and even at home, her hands are still serving others. While watching TV in the evenings, she prepares meal kits for our unhoused guests—quietly spending her free time caring for people most will never even meet.

Outside of volunteering, Alice enjoys traveling, reading good books, and spending time with friends—many of whom she first met while serving at the food bank. In fact, Alice has even recruited several of our beloved volunteers over the years, inviting others into the same meaningful service she has faithfully carried for decades. Alice embodies what it means to serve with humility and consistency. She doesn’t seek attention. She simply shows up, week after week, year after year, allowing God to work through her in ordinary but deeply powerful ways.

This year, at our Volunteer Appreciation Dinner, we had the honor of celebrating Alice with an award recognizing her 20 years of service—a small token of gratitude for the countless ways she has blessed our guests, our volunteers, our staff, and this ministry as a whole. But the truth is, there is no award large enough to fully capture the impact Alice has had on this place. For twenty years, she has been a quiet pillar of what makes Twin Lakes Food Bank so special.

A steady presence.
A compassionate heart.
A reflection of God’s hands and love in action.

It’s because of volunteers like Alice, thousands of guests over the years have not only received food, but have also experienced kindness, dignity, and the reminder that they are deeply cared for.

“I just want all of you to know that you have brought a spark of hope back into my family’s life… my first time here, I had lost all hope. Thank you for bringing that back.”

That’s how one of nearly 200 guests described their experience at Twin Lakes Food Bank in response to a recent guest survey. Our food bank is more than a place to get food; it’s a place where people are seen, valued, and cared for. Ninety-eight percent of guests said they felt welcomed from their very first visit. Again and again, we heard the same sentiment:

“The staff and volunteers feel like family.”
“I love how much the volunteers care.”
“I’ve come in on my worst day and left feeling on top of the world.”

These kind words reflect the food bank’s intentionality to create a culture of dignity, connection, and compassion. Over 90% of guests shared that the groceries they receive help them afford other essentials, like rent and prescriptions, to make ends meet. Guests identified that the most needed items include fresh meat, produce, and dairy which are made possible through strong grocery store partnerships. But beyond the data, one truth stands out: people don’t just leave with groceries—they leave with hope.

At Twin Lakes Food Bank, a visit feels different from other food banks the moment a guest arrives. They are welcomed by name, met with warm smiles, and guided by volunteers who take the time to learn their story—remembering a child’s milestone, asking how the broken foot is healing—and offer a sense of connection that goes beyond the food itself. Guests’ feedback on the survey expressed that they feel seen, valued, and supported. Because when you belong to a village cheering you on, even the hardest days begin to feel a little more manageable.

Heather’s story might resemble many of our own. She had a safe home with her three young children filled with love and stability, surrounded by family and community. That’s probably where the similarities end. While we were watching the war between Russia and Ukraine break out on television, Heather’s family was living it from their small village in Ukraine.

The war forced Heather and her family to flee their home, leaving behind their belongings and the life they had built. In the days that followed, the unthinkable became reality – loved ones and neighbors died and their home was destroyed. When Heather and her family arrived in the United States, they carried very little with them, but they carried everything they had been through: grief, uncertainty and the overwhelm of starting over in a place that was entirely unfamiliar.

Three young children looked to her and her husband for stability and hope. They began the hard work of building a new home in a new culture with new systems and rules. During that journey, Heather found the food bank. At first, it was a place to receive necessary groceries during a season where every resource mattered from the fresh food to the diapers for her baby that were available. Then, Heather shared what she hadn’t expected, “It’s not only the gift of groceries—it’s the gifts of dignity and kindness from the staff and volunteers that has been so humbling.”

Today, Heather and her family continue to build their new lives, create new rhythms, and hold onto hope for their future. Behind every family we serve, there is a journey we may never fully see, marked by courage and the quiet determination to begin again.

As Big Day of Giving approaches, would you consider making a one-time gift to help us reach our $75,000 goal? Your support makes it possible for families like Heather’s to receive food and dignity in the midst of rebuilding.

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Last fall, Susan walked into work expecting an ordinary day. Instead, she was called into her manager’s office and let go from her job. Five years of faithful work ended in a moment.

On the drive home, the shock began to settle into something heavier. As a single mom of three, her thoughts quickly turned to her kids. The bills. The rent. The groceries. She started doing the math in her head, trying to stretch numbers that simply wouldn’t stretch far enough.

For five weeks, Susan cut back where she could—then cut back some more. Meals became smaller and less frequent. She made sure her kids were fed, even if it meant going without meals for herself. During the day, while they were at school, she searched endlessly for jobs—submitting applications and attending interviews, hoping something would come through. Eventually, the weight of doing it all alone became too much.

When Susan first walked up to the food bank last fall, she was fearful and full of shame. She didn’t know what to expect but definitely didn’t expect the kindness, encouragement, and compassion that volunteers extended to her. Instead of judgment, she was met with grace; instead of embarrassment, she experienced dignity.

Then there was the food. There was fresh produce that she could turn into real meals. Dairy, eggs, and pantry staples that she didn’t have to ration so tightly. For the first time in weeks, Susan felt peace that her kids would eat healthy meals.

We haven’t seen Susan in the past couple of months and hope that she found that job she was seeking and a way forward for her family. But her story stays with us.

Susan represents many of our guests, who come upon unexpected hard times and are trying to do everything they can to hold themselves and their families together while managing the anxiety of their uncertainty. If you haven’t already, would you consider making a one-time gift to help us reach our $75,000 Big Day Of Giving goal? Your support makes stories like Susan’s possible, ensuring that when someone walks through our doors, they are met food, dignity, and maybe a sense of peace.

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Carl had been coming to Twin Lakes Food Bank for years to get groceries for him and his wife, Emma. He’s the kind of person you notice right away—not because he asks for anything, but because of the way he carries himself. A veteran on a fixed income, he consistently shows up with a quiet strength and a grateful heart. Each visit to the food bank meant bringing home the groceries that would become their daily rhythm… especially breakfast. Every morning, Carl would prepare a meal for Emma using the food he received—simple, steady acts of love that filled their home.

A few years ago, Emma had a stroke that Carl thought that she had recovered from, but one day when she wasn’t feeling well, he took her to the hospital. In a moment that no one could have expected, she passed away.

Today, Carl still wakes up each morning and makes breakfast. But instead of sitting across from Emma, he sits with her photo… setting the table as if she were still there, honoring the life they shared in the only way he knows how. When he is able, Carl visits his wife’s grave and brings flowers. Guest Engagement Coordinator, Lindsay Olson said to him, “Next time you go, let us know. We have flowers in our garden… we’d love to make a bouquet for you.”

The line of guests outside our doors isn’t just a line, it’s filled with people who have loved deeply, lost deeply, and are doing their best to carry on. Would you consider making a one-time gift to help us reach our $75,000 goal during Big Day of Giving? Your support ensures we can continue to care for people like Carl—not just with food, but with dignity, compassion, and moments of kindness that remind them they are not alone.

Donate During Big Day Of Giving