A Family’s Renewal

A Single Mom, A Sudden Loss

Nicole losing her mom had a domino effect in her life. Every Meal was a part of her renewal.

Sometimes a tragedy has a domino effect. For Nicole, that tragedy was her mom suddenly passing away.

Nicole’s mom’s passing wasn’t only tragic because of losing a mom. She also lost her free childcare. In 2021, Nicole was a single mom and relied on her mom’s help to care for the kids while she worked. She had just bought a new house in Zimmerman for them all to live in together. Suddenly, with her mom’s death, she couldn’t work as much as she had been, but she had bills and a new mortgage to pay.

Nicole explains, “My mom was like my daycare. She took care of my kids for me so I could work. I couldn’t work as much without her.”

💬 “I was at rock bottom. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do.”

A Helping Hand

Nicole’s kids started bringing home an Every Meal food bag the week they signed up.

That is when the school social worker recommended Every Meal to help her feed her kids on the weekend. That same week, a bag of Every Meal food came home in her oldest child’s backpack.

Now, Nicole is remarried, and with little mouths to feed, her husband works two jobs to make ends meet. The Every Meal food her kids bring home every Friday is a big help, and her kids know exactly where to grab a can of veggies for dinner in the kitchen cupboard.

💬 “The food bags took a lot of weight off. My kids love bringing the bags home and it warms my heart knowing that they’re going to go to sleep with a full belly.”

Nicole adds, “I want people to know that it’s ok to struggle and ask for help.”

Nicole’s daughter writing her thanks for food.

Because of the support from people in our community like you, we help families throughout Minnesota like Nicole’s. We are part of a family’s renewal. Together, we are able to be there for families facing a setback that can lead to wondering how they will keep their cupboards and kids’ bellies full.

Thank you for helping kids in Minnesota who are worried about where their next meal will come from. Your help prevents more dominos from falling. Your support provides hope in the form of food.