In 2021, Brianna, a U.S. army veteran, was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare nerve infection that left her paralyzed and hospitalized from August 2020to March 2022. Today, Brianna is not only walking again, but is also dedicated to giving her 2 sons, Sean and Kayden, happy and healthy childhoods.
Encouraged by the school counselor, Brianna signed her family up for the Feeding San Diego Kid’s program at the beginning of the school year. “It helps. It really comes in handy in between paychecks,” Diana, Brianna’s mother, shared. “My husband [Brianna’s stepfather] is the only one with a paycheck. The weekend food helps a lot.”
With the ingredients in the pack, Brianna’s family has made a list of family favorite recipes: chicken stir-fry, hamburger helper, chicken and corn soup, and doctored tomato sauce with frozen Italian blend vegetables. Diana adds that a family favorite has been her signature chicken stir fry. “I throw in some soy sauce, vegetables, the can of chicken, and it’s stir-fry. We are a Hispanic and Native family, so we have it with the rice. It turns out delicious. Everyone loves it!”
When asked their favorite food in the pack, Sean, age 9, and Kayden, age 8, both shared that they loved spaghetti. Kayden dreams of becoming a chef and one day, making his family a delicious ratatouille.
So far, in the 2022-2023 School Year, the Feeding San Diego Kid’s program has distributed 5,526 food packs to 4 local San Diego elementary schools. We thank our wonderful packing and delivery volunteers for dedicating their time to helping families like Brianna’s spend less time worrying about their next meal and more time together.
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