Jennifer's Story: "We're All Out Here Trying to Survive Together."
Jennifer knows what it means to make a little go a long way. Living on a fixed income, she carefully plans how to spend her money, finds ways to stretch groceries, and looks for opportunities to help her family. As a grandmother to a young child, she wants to make sure her family has what they need, even when the budget is tight.
“I find ways to be frugal and stretch everything,” Jennifer said. “I'll cook once or twice, put it in the freezer, and save it for later.”
Like many people, Jennifer has had to make difficult choices as the cost of everyday necessities continues to rise. Sometimes, those choices involve more than just paying bills and buying groceries. With Halloween approaching, she knows families may have to weigh the cost of things that make childhood special, too.
“With Halloween coming up, you have to choose: Do you get them a Halloween costume, or do you get the candy to hand out?” she said.
Jennifer first heard about The Market from a friend. She was hesitant at first because she knew people sometimes judge those who need help. But she also knows that struggling to make ends meet can happen to anyone.
She remembers coming close to homelessness and going without food herself. Support from family and others helped her through those periods, teaching her just how important it is to have people you can count on.
“Family always helped family,” Jennifer said. “As a society, we should do that for everybody, no matter who they are or what they've been through, because we're all out here trying to survive together.”
Today, Jennifer carries those lessons into her own life. If she has extra food, she shares it. If she has clothes that someone else could use, she finds a person who needs them. She even makes sure stray animals have something to eat when she has food to spare.
It's the way she was raised by her parents, and it's something she wants to continue passing along. To Jennifer, helping others isn't about how much you have. It's about being willing to share what you can.
She also understands why some people hesitate to ask for help. The fear of being judged can make an already difficult situation even harder.
“People get tired of being tired, and they stay silent because they're afraid of what people will say,” she said.
Jennifer hopes people will show one another more understanding and remember that needing help doesn't mean someone has failed. Everyone has circumstances others may not see, and doing the best you can sometimes means accepting support along the way.
“People need to be more understanding and caring,” she said. “Don't worry about what people might think.”
The Market gives Jennifer a place to turn when she needs support with groceries. Her story is also a reminder that the people who come through its doors have their own experiences, families, and ways of giving back.
For Jennifer, looking out for others is something that starts with what you can do, right where you are. Sometimes that means sharing a meal or passing along clothes. Other times, it means accepting help when you need it.
“We're all out here trying to survive together,” she said.
