Anonymous Donor Helps Fellow Seniors In Need
If you were faced with paying your utility bill to keep the lights on, buying medicine for your chronic illness or buying food to feed your live-in grandchildren, what would you choose? As we start to approach warmer temperatures, it is important to remember the effects felt by many during the recent ice storm. Some of those affected include our Seniors who are now facing an increase in their electricity bills resulting in tough decisions between food and bill payment.
In today’s harsh economy, some seniors are finding themselves in need of assistance for the first time in their lives and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, even more seniors are experiencing an increase in the need for food. However, the Food Bank works to provide food assistance to those seniors in need thanks to the support of our donors like one of our recent anonymous donors.
This anonymous donor called the Food Bank in regard to donating a portion of their stimulus check to help other seniors like themselves, as this donor is in their early 90s. This donor wanted to see where their money was going but was unable to visit a grocery store alone to shop for such large quantities. Our employee, Meghan Russell, Food Acquisition Coordinator, received the call and knew she wanted to help make this donor’s wishes possible.
“It was a pretty unusual request being made by a very sincere voice,” said Meghan Russell. “We do not normally help our donors grocery shop but I knew I wanted to do everything I could to make sure this generous donor’s wishes were met.”
Once she received special permission from her supervisor, Meghan met with the anonymous donor at a local grocery store. As the donor pushed a shopping cart, Meghan was able to fill the cart with items the donor pointed to on the shelves. These products included items like peanut butter and jelly, red beans and rice, tuna fish and other shelf stable items. At checkout, Meghan loaded up the conveyor belt and once the donor was read their total, they asked Meghan if they could continue shopping.
The donor had discovered their first round of groceries did not meet the $200 total that they had planned to donate. Therefore, with Meghan’s help, the donor went shopping again until every dollar was spent on food to help those in need.
This anonymous donor, as well as many of our other donors, knows that Louisiana is within the top three states with the highest rate of senior hunger. With donor support, we are able to work toward ending senior hunger. Click here to join the fight and donate today.
One Family Finds A Unique Way To Celebrate and Donate During The Pandemic
