“Having milk is a luxury”: A single mom’s struggle to feed her kids

January 18, 2017

Sara is a single mom to 10-year-old fraternal twin girls, Veronica and Amanda. They are a small, loving family that has faced their fair share of struggles. They are victims of domestic violence and they have had to move to various shelters over the last four months for their own safety. Now, they are settled in an apartment where they feel secure.

Sara struggles to provide food for her daughters. This is where we step in. Sara and her girls are a part of our “Feeding San Diego’s Kids” program and they receive a backpack filled with food every week. Our dedicated volunteers stuff the backpacks and deliver them to three elementary schools in San Diego. These backpacks feed dozens of homeless and needy families in the San Diego area every week.

Despite their early stressful experiences, the girls are smart, sweet, and happy. Veronica wants to be an artist or a veterinarian when she grows up. Amanda wants to be an actor or a scientist. Their dreams for a successful future are a testament to their loving mother, who has made sure the girls feel safe and attend a good school.

Sara is so grateful for the food assistance we provide and says she couldn’t get through the weekends without it.

“It is a huge help!” she says. “And having milk (that IRT provides) is a luxury. It’s too expensive to buy otherwise”.

The girls love the food and are always excited to find out what goodies are in the backpack every week. They look forward to stacking the food in their kitchen cupboard and planning out their weekend meals. They especially love the lentils and the chicken noodle soup!

Vanessa and Amanda play and laugh as they unpack their weekly backpack of food. Amanda shows her sister the can of chicken noodle soup, their favorite.
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