For many of us, the month of May is a time to honor the significance of the mothers in our lives on Mother’s Day. Unfortunately, too many mothers in our community face difficult choices each day to find the means to provide for their families. Many of our mothers often make the difficult choice to skip their own meals or reduce their portions so their children will have enough to eat. 

Mary has lived in the east side of San Antonio all her life. When the Covid pandemic hit, her husband of 21 years lost his position as a unionized electrician. Losing her family’s main source of income, Mary went into survival mode to support her husband and 4 children by making every dollar stretch through couponing and making the most she could from meals. However, it wasn’t enough. She heard about the Food Bank through her children’s school and quickly signed up to become a distribution recipient.

Mary was grateful for the support her family received from the Food Bank and soon started thinking about other mothers in her neighborhood. “If my family is struggling then I know all the families on my block are as well.” Inspired by the support she received from the Food Bank, Mary made it her mission to fight hunger and feed hope in her neighborhood. She now has a nourishment station in front of her home that provides snacks and beverages for children in her neighborhood. “I tell every single one of them that if you are ever hungry, I will make you a hotdog or bologna sandwich day or night. Children should never go hungry!”

With the support of the San Antonio Food Bank, Mary is a mother to not only her children, but to her extended family – her neighborhood. Together, our impact is great.

Thanks to community generosity, our resources and programs can transform lives.