Fighting Hunger in America – It's all we do.
Robin and Russ lived through flooding before, but nothing could have prepared them for the devastation left after the midwest floods of 2008, which affected Iowa communities all long the Cedar River. The flooding began on a Sunday and nearly a day later, the river had reached its record crest washing out neighborhoods in its path and forcing families to evacuate their homes, like this family of six.
Robin and Russ could not believe their eyes when they returned to their neighborhood to find their recently re-modeled home of 17 years submerged up to their kitchen counter tops in six feet of diesel fuel-smelling water. "Your entire life changes in hours," said Robin. "I never thought I would wake up and not be able to get into my home."
They lost everything from clothes, to towels, to pots and pans, totaling to $70,000 in damages. This was the first time the family ever needed food assistance. The food they received alleviated much of their worry about purchasing food to feed their family of six as they struggled to piece their life back together. Through the emergency shelter set up at a nearby school, the family felt a sense of security during a time full of uncertainty. "I've never had to say thank you so often" said Robin.
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In Plymouth, a fairly affluent city where most people earn around $80,000 or more, Mike and his neighbors live in a small working class community. When times were good, Mike, an office clerk, and his wife Emma both worked two jobs for a combined income of around $50,000 to support themselves and their two daughters, but that was 5 years ago before both Mike and Emma were laid off from their jobs.
To feed 15 year old Jemma and 11 year old Petra the couple now relies on unemployment benefits and the small income that Emma makes with some occasional work at a local restaurant.
"We try very hard to make sure that the girls don't feel it" says Mike "but it is so hard when not only can we not give them all the things that teenagers would normally have, but some days we just do not have enough money even to buy food".
Life has been full of disappointments for the couple since they both lost their jobs. Every week they apply for any jobs that they see advertized but so far have not had any luck. "There are so many others like us that are looking for work. When I get a response, I dress up and go for the interview and just for a little while allow myself to hope".
Jemma and Petra both suffer from Asthma and without insurance they are not getting the treatment they so badly need.
Being over 50 Mike believes that his age is a hindrance when it comes to finding work but he still spends his days looking and hoping. In the meantime they turn to the local food bank for help with the basic necessities to keep the family fed. "I don't know what we would do without the wonderful folks at the Center" said Mike. Hopefully one day soon he will not need their help any longer, but until that day comes Mike and his family can't manage without it.
Since 2004, Edward's life has been a near-constant struggle. Shortly after losing his job due to a chronic illness, this 48 year old Iraq war veteran also received temporary custody of his ex-girlfriend's four children.
He has since drained his savings, and cannot get by solely with the assistance of food stamps and modest disability pay. Faced with virtually no income and a newfound family to feed, Edward began to search for help. He contacted the San Antonio Food Bank for support. Through the food bank, he found out about local food services offered at a church—where he now receives groceries two Thursdays each month. "It's been a blessing because it gets me through the week," Edward explains. With the food he receives, Edward creates weekly menus for the kids—with rice and beans, he makes chalupas; with chicken and ham, he makes sandwiches.
Even with a college education and two jobs, Connie finds it difficult to consistently provide food for her three active sons all on her own. Connie's financial troubles began almost 10 years ago when she left an abusive relationship and moved to Virginia to be closer to her mother and sister.
Connie soon discovered that her local church could help her by providing food and a structured environment for her and her three sons.
Through the food pantry at the church, Connie receives the necessary food staples to ensure that she and her three children maintain a healthy diet. Fruits and vegetables are among her sons' favorite foods, and they can eat on a regular basis because of the pantry services offered at the church. Connie now volunteers every day to help others like her.
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Some identifying details and images have been changed, but the stories are real.
...people just like you
Ruth was one of the first members of Turkey Club America. She had herself received food support from a local food bank after she lost her job and then became sick and was unable to support her family of 3 young children.
"I hated having to ask for help" Ruth told the Turkey Club News "but the people were so kind. They didn't make me feel like a second class citizen, they just helped me in my time of need. Now I am back on my feet I wanted to find a way that I could give back to others. I am working two jobs so I don't have the time to volunteer but Turkey Club America makes it so easy for me to give just a little each month to help those that are finding themselves just like I was."
Ruth started by giving just $10 a month to help those who are hungry but as she has gotten back on her feet she has increased that to a regular $15. "I know it is not a lot but it is all I can afford right now. I know the Turkey Club America appreciates every dollar that I give. I love getting the newsletter and reading about people that I am helping. It just makes me feel good inside."
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Peter and Helen and their 3 children are always busy. With Peter's job as a school teacher and Helen's part time work as a hairdresser they never seem to have time for anything but family and day to day chores.
"Turkey Club America is a way that we can all give something to help people in our own community" Said Peter "even the children give a regular amount from their allowances. Once in a while we get to go to the Hope Center and help a little, washing dishes and making up food bags and such but it is great to know that when we can't do that we can still help. It makes us all feel good about ourselves knowing that we are doing something every month to help people who can't help themselves."
"I had never really thought about what it meant to be hungry until I met Rick. He was a veteran who had made some bad choices since coming back from Afghanistan and ended up on the street and relying on the rescue mission for his food. When I heard his story it brought tears to my eyes. I so wanted to help him but he was too proud to accept any gift from me. By giving each month to Turkey Club America I can help Rick and people like him and make sure that whatever else is wrong in their lives at least they get to eat. I don't have lots of money to spare, but I can easily give the cost of a meal every month to provide food for people like Rick." Mary S
"I first heard about Turkey Club America when they came to do a presentation at my church. I couldn't believe that there were so many homeless and hungry people in my town.
I signed up straight away and have been contributing regularly ever since. I hardly notice the cost of one or two meals each month but it makes such a difference to those in need. I don't think I have ever gone to bed hungry in my life—not really hungry—so it really means something to me to be able to feed those who are less fortunate than I am." David R
Join the fight against Hunger in America – give the cost of just one or two meals a month to help feed hungry children and families.
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Some identifying details and pictures have been changed, but the stories are real.
Veterans are more than twice as likely to need help with food.
We cheer when they go to war, we salute them when they return and then, all too often, we forget about them when they are in need.
“I had never really thought about what it meant to be hungry until I met Rick. He was a veteran who had made some bad choices since coming back from Iraq and ended up on the street and relying on the rescue mission for his food.
When I heard his story it brought tears to my eyes. I so wanted to help him but he was too proud to accept any gift from me.
By giving each month to the Turkey Club I can help Rick and people like him and make sure that whatever else is wrong in their lives at least they get to eat.
I don’t have lots of money to spare, but I can easily give the cost of a meal every month to provide food for people like Rick.”
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Since 2004, Edward’s life has been a near-constant struggle. Shortly after losing his job due to a chronic illness, this 48 year old Iraq war veteran also received temporary custody of his ex-girlfriend’s four children. He has since drained his savings, and cannot get by solely with the assistance of food stamps and modest disability pay. Faced with virtually no income and a newfound family to feed, Edward began to search for help. He contacted the San Antonio Food Bank for support. Through the food bank, he found out about local food services offered at a church—where he now receives groceries two Thursdays each month. “It’s been a blessing because it gets me through the week,” Edward explains. With the food he receives, Edward creates weekly menus for the kids—with rice and beans, he makes chalupas; with chicken and ham, he makes sandwiches.
Join the fight against Hunger in America – give the cost of just one or two meals a month to help feed hungry veterans, children and families.
Some images and identifying details have been changed - but the people are real.
Nearly 1 million Seniors Living Alone do not have enough food to eat on a regular basis or rely on food banks and charities.
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Many seniors who rely on food banks for their everyday needs never thought that they were ever going to be in this situation.
Emily has just celebrated her 74th birthday. Until quite recently Emily was always able to take care of herself. She wasn’t well off but had a small pension from her lifelong job as a clerk with a bank that meant she could live comfortably and although she didn’t have a great deal for luxuries she could always make ends meet. Then came the bad news that the bank had failed and, apart from a small savings account, Emily found that she was destitute.
“I just sat down and cried for days. I got so low that I even thought about suicide.” To survive Emily sold her car and some of her most treasured possessions but she could see that soon even that was going to run out. “Every week I ate less and less to try to make the money last until eventually I was just eating oatmeal every other day.”
Predictably Emily became sick and was admitted to the hospital and it was there that she was visited by Ralph and his wife Mary. Ralph and Mary are volunteers at the “Beacon of Hope” a center that provides a traditional soup kitchen for the homeless and those in need.
When she was released from the hospital Emily became a regular in the line at the kitchen. “At first I was so embarrassed” said Emily, “it just didn’t feel right that I should be in a place like this. But everyone was so caring and made me feel as though they wanted me to be there. After a while when I got my strength back I started to help out cleaning the tables and sometimes serving the food. It made me feel a lot better that I was doing something in return for all the good things that they were doing for me.”
Lizzy is someone you would probably call a "Bag Lady" as you pass her in the street with all her posessions in plastic bags in an old stroller.
Although now in her 60's Lizzy has lived on the streets almost all her life. She is no stranger to being hungry and were it not for the generosity of people like you she would probably not be alive today.
For the elderly, the hungry and the needy, the members of Turkey Club America are a lifeline, providing for the most basic need of all. When we feed someone like Lizzy, we are truly giving the gift of life to someone who just cannot care for themselves.
Join the fight against Hunger in America – give the cost of just one or two meals a month to help feed hungry seniors, children and families.
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2.5 Million American Children will go to bed hungry tonight. That is nearly 6% of all the children in America.
Households with Children face hunger at almost double the rate for those without children.
One third of Single Parent Households go hungry at least one day every week.
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Maria and her 4 year old son Anthony live in a small town on the Illinois, Missouri border. Maria works part time in the local Wal-mart and scrapes together enough money each week to pay the rent on their small trailer home and buy some basic necessities for herself and her son. “Sometimes, when it gets really cold, it is difficult to decide whether to buy food or turn on the heat, there just isn’t enough money to do both.
"There is a lovely lady who looks after Anthony while I am at work and she gives him some meals and her house is nice and warm. When I collect him on my way home from work I know we will be going to our cold house and that we may not be able to eat another proper meal that day.”
Maria is always looking for a bet
ter job with more hours and more money but with so many in the area unemployed work is almost impossible to find and she considers herself lucky to have the job that she has.
“Every Thursday at 4 we go down to the Faith Center where they give us a hot meal and a bag of food that we can take away to use over the weekend. Without the help that we get there I just don’t know how we would survive.”
Members of Turkey Club America provide food for the Faith Center and for many families like Maria and Anthony.
Join the fight against Hunger in America – give the cost of just one or two meals a month to help feed hungry children and families.
Some images and identifying details have been changed - but the people are real.
Feed a hungry child. Just $10 each month will help us to make sure that at least 10 children do not go to bed hungry tonight. Join Now
Feed a family. Just $15 each month will provide 3 meals a week for a family of 4 at one of our partner centers. Join Now
Provide home food service for the elderly. Just $20 each month is all we need for volunteers to provide regular meal service to a senior citizen. Join Now
Support all our food programs. Just $25 or more each month helps us to feed children, the homeless, veterans and many poor families in need. Join Now
Turkey Club America is a Ministry of More Than Life, a 501(c)3 charitable organization.
© 2011 More Than Life INC.
