My name is Jessica. I work here at the food pantry and I also receive food for my son and me. The produce we get here is really fresh and good, and it helps me out financially.

After I lost my job, I entered a re-training program that placed me at the food pantry. I love the work! We pack and bag all the produce that comes in from Los Angeles Regional Food Bank for distribution, and sometimes we’ll add a recipe if it’s a vegetable people aren’t familiar with.

It feels great to be able to help other families. People love the produce and everything they receive. When people tell me, “thank you so much, you can’t imagine how much this helps,” I actually can imagine it—I’ve been through hard times with my son.

You’re helping me stretch my paycheck further

My son loves to eat fruits and vegetables. I make a lot of soups with it, and he could eat that all day long. Things were a lot harder before coming to the food pantry. Most of my check would go to gas and food. Getting this food assistance helps me save money to pay for some of our other needs.

I’m thankful to the people who support the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, for both myself and the neighbors who come in. Everyone has their own issues, but you’ve put aside whatever is going on for you so we can get fresh produce. That means a lot. I don’t know what else to say except thank you and I appreciate everything you’re doing.