Hunger wears many faces. Read the stories below to see how gifts to the Bed & Bread Club* help feed and shelter desperate men, women and children here in your community.

A Thanksgiving Miracle
Ted and Judy called The Salvation Army right before Thanksgiving last year. Ted was disabled and his disability payments were so small he could barely feed his family. Judy had her hands full taking care of their seven kids, so she couldn’t work outside the home. Ted and Judy had no food and they didn’t want their children to go hungry — especially for Thanksgiving.

The Salvation Army delivered a food basket complete with turkey and all the fixings so these worried parents could feed their family. We also provided groceries and toys for their kids when Christmas rolled around. Most important, we provided Ted and Judy with ongoing counseling and other help so they could find lasting solutions to their problems.

A Grandmother’s Love
Lillian is raising her seven grandchildren alone. Their own parents can’t take care of them, but Lillian is determined that her grandkids — ranging in age from one to 13 — aren’t going to be placed in foster care. Raising seven children would be a challenge for anyone, but it’s a little bit harder for her. You see, Lillian is completely blind.

Lillian is a pretty independent lady, so it took her a while of struggling along on her own, trying to support the kids on her limited income, before she would ask for help. When she made her way to The Salvation Army, it was pretty clear that her biggest need was for groceries. Seven children go through a lot of food!

Thanks to gifts to the Bed & Bread Club, The Salvation Army provided Lillian with ten bags of groceries and three pounds of meat. We also gave her clothing vouchers so her grandkids could get school clothes at our Thrift Store. Most important, we helped her develop long-range solutions so she can continue to raise her grandchildren on her own. If you could have seen how happy and grateful Lillian was, it would have brought tears to your eyes.

One Paycheck Away from Disaster
Many people don’t realize they are one paycheck away from disaster. Dave and Kris sure didn’t. They worked hard and were proud they could support their family independently.

But then Dave was laid off from his job. Kris didn’t earn enough for them to get by on her income alone, and still be able to afford childcare for their baby while Dave looked for work. They fell further and further behind on their rent . . . and finally lost their home.

The Salvation Army provided this family with food, shelter, transportation assistance and care for the baby while Dave looked for work. After a few weeks, he found a job that enabled him to support the family again, and they were able to move from the shelter into their own home.

Gifts to The Salvation Army’s Bed & Bread Club enable us to provide shelter, food and other vital necessities during critical times — so that hardworking people like Dave and Kris can rebuild their lives.

To join the Bed & Bread Club, click here.