‘I go without eating to be sure the bills are paid.’

August 9, 2022

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Vicki volunteered for the Food Bank of Delaware. Back then she also was able to make donations to our organization and encouraged co-workers to contribute as well. “When I got let go, I started needing them [the Food Bank], said the Newark-area resident.

“Now, I do have some employment, but it’s like starting all over. Plus, I’m taking care of a couple of seniors,” added Vicki. “Without this program, a lot of us would be starving. I have a teen who is now eating healthy, and I appreciate it. I am the only one working, and I go without eating to be sure the bills are paid. I don’t make very much.”

She registered online to receive a free weekly box that contains fresh fruits and vegetables, mainly those grown on the Food Bank’s five-acre farm in Newark.

This 22-week program, explained Community Farm Coordinator John O’Connor, is grant funded. “It’s a first-come, first-serve basis… Participants pick up from both the Milford and Newark facilities and they [boxes] are also delivered through Amazon,” he said.

Vicki has been able to pick up supplemental food for her family of four – including two adults, a senior citizen, and a teen – through our mobile pantries, but she is grateful for the added bonus of the weekly CSA box filled with summer produce.

“It gives us food we normally can’t afford, healthy vegetables and some fruits. It means my seniors can eat greens and aren’t stuck to a limited diet and unhealthy carbs. It gives us healthier options and adds to what we have,” Vicki said.

She’s discovered an unexpected bonus: “It helps me grow as a cook. Having all these greens is teaching me. I look up new recipes to learn what I can do with them. I really appreciate this program. I am very thankful,” said Vicki.

Visit www.fbd.org to learn more about the Food Bank of Delaware’s programs.