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.
