Introduction

Today’s economy has many families visiting food pantries for the first time in their lives.

Recently when my unemployment ran out, I found myself among them. The shock that my college-bound children who are eating me out of house and home can be dependents on my fed taxes until 21, but don’t make me qualify for food stamps or that my rent allotment excludes me and my toddler son from them too… Suddenly, I found myself standing in line for the first time too.

How wonderful it would be if I could say I had a childlike curiosity and innocence about my first pantry experience, but when you are forty-something and the mother a three with a Masters degree, a food pantry line is the last destination you ever dreamed of being… I would rather be in my former life when I was making clothing donations of my designer rags, posh children clothing and toys outgrown by my college-bound children that I am desperately trying to feed this summer.

Quickly pride gave way to necessity and compassion for the other women in line who are facing challenges more severe than my own transformed my pride into gratitude that food pantries exist.

In creating this blog I hope I encourage you to humble yourself too, at least enough to get in line and get what you need – turn this temporary situation into one that will fill your heart and your cupboard at the same time…

In the end I encourage readers to share recipes, coupon sources, and locations of food-banks with those befuddled about of this current reality.