Maya grew up in poverty but worked hard to change her circumstances. By the time she reached adulthood, she had built a stable life for her family and carved out a place in the middle class. “I was always striving,” she said. “Working hard to better myself and build a stable life for my family.”
Then, as Maya puts it, “life, as it often does, took an unexpected turn.”
When the pandemic hit, her partner lost their small business—and with it, the family’s health insurance. “Health insurance is incredibly expensive, and it’s not an expense we can afford,” Maya said. “My husband is now struggling with medical issues, and we haven’t found our way out of this storm yet. We are barely surviving at times.”
Living in Appalachian Ohio, Maya knows her family’s story isn’t unusual. “All it takes is one change in circumstance to find yourself struggling to make ends meet,” she said. “I know many people who have worked hard all their lives—only to be knocked down by illness, job loss, or some other crisis in life.”
That’s where the SE Ohio Foodbank comes in. Whether it’s providing groceries through our pantry network, delivering senior nutrition boxes, or connecting families to fresh produce through The Market at Hocking Drive, the Foodbank is a lifeline when times get tough.
“Without programs like these,” Maya said, “many families wouldn’t be able to survive.”
Today, Maya volunteers and gives back to the same community that helped her through her hardest times. “We’re not just offering food—we’re helping people hold on, get back up, and move forward. We offer hope. And in these times, that kind of help and hope can mean everything.”
Your support makes stories like Maya’s possible. Because of you, families in Southeast Ohio can count on the SE Ohio Foodbank for nourishment, stability, and hope when they need it most.