Out of school – and minus a meal

“Imagine you don’t have a well-paying job. Imagine you don’t have a nice apartment, or your home. You have three kids. You’re working part-time at McDonald’s. Then you have another job on top of that. You have one child in childcare, two in school, and you’re paying more than half of your income for rent. [...]

“I just keep on truckin’ and try to survive.”

Lucille is struggling with myriad health issues and is on frequent dialysis. She receives groceries each week through our home-delivered groceries program. I grew up in Wilson, LA and I moved out here to find a job in 1963. And I did get one. Fact is, I worked up until just two years ago. I [...]

“We’re really grateful.”

Rose Chang is 85. She lives at a senior citizens’ residence in the Tenderloin, and shared her story with us recently. I’ve lived here for 11 years, and I participate and volunteer at the pantry every week. There are usually five or six of us, and we really like to do the work. It gives [...]

“I try to have peace.”

Caridad is fighting to overcome depression. She is a survivor of domestic violence, and lives on a monthly survivor’s benefit and $16 in Food Stamps. After my husband passed away, I don’t have anybody in my life. And I’m happy. I’m happy because I’m free. I’m happy and safe. Now, I try to have a [...]

“I’m blessed.”

Roscoe is 91 years old. Each month, he scrimps to cover his rent, health insurance and medicine on what he receives through Social Security and a small union pension. He visits a Food Bank pantry in Ingleside, where he shared his story with us: I came out to California in 1943 to work in the [...]

Stories that inspired us in 2010

This past year, the need for food was staggering. We constantly broke our all-time monthly record for the most food delivered to hungry families in San Francisco and Marin, distributing millions of pounds of food every month. How did we do it? With the help of amazing volunteers, donors and clients who constantly inspire us. [...]

“It takes a lot out of you to be a grandma!”

Gloria visits a Food Bank pantry in the Fillmore, where she lives with her son and two of her grandchildren. In a recent conversation, she reflected on her role in holding her family together. I try to be supportive of my family. My son, well – he’s got baby mama drama. So he’s living here [...]

“It’s good. It’s all good.”

Edgar lives in an SRO in the Tenderloin, where he both volunteers at and receives food from the building’s Food Bank pantry. My name is Edgar. I’m 63. I was born and raised in San Francisco, and I used to work for a janitorial service off and on. I worked in kitchens. And a lot of [...]

“If somebody needs my help, I will give it to them. That’s how it goes.”

Gamal* and his family are from Morocco. They fled domestic violence there and settled in San Francisco two years ago. Gamal is 19 years old. He’s a pantry volunteer and client. Here is his story in his own words: I’m from Casablanca. I live like, 15 years in Morocco and when I was four years [...]

“I know just how far my check will go.”

Charlie receives a monthly box of food from the Food Bank through a government program called CSFP. He lives in an assisted living facility near the Castro. At 67, he’s high-spirited in spite of myriad physical ailments. We met Charlie as he waited in his lobby for the food distribution to start. He smiled and [...]