About 12 years ago, Robert and his wife Kimberly began co-parenting with their adult daughter, who was struggling with drug abuse. As their daughter’s battle with addiction continued, he and his wife decided to become the primary guardians to all six of their grandchildren. Unfortunately, six months before the pandemic began, Robert’s wife passed away. He was now a single grandparent raising six children on his own. Robert stated, “When my wife passed away, I had to face reality. Who is going to take care of these kids? The answer was obvious.”

Robert works at a senior care facility. He does maintenance, cooking, and anything else that needs to get done. He works hard and keeps himself active to stay healthy so that he can raise his family. 

“I’m alive because of them. Those kids are what I live for. When I’m looking at them eat, I remember the time I didn’t have that.”

Feeding six children three meals a day is challenge regardless of the circumstances. However, with increased inflation and cafeterias closed for the summer, Robert found himself needing more support than ever. “In the summer, my grocery bill doubles, but knowing that the San Antonio Food Bank is there for us is a shared blessing. Summer meals help because I never worry about them eating. Not being hungry allows my kids to enjoy life. My wife used to always say, you’re looking for that one thing that you’ve done that says you’re a hero, and I get that when I’m at the dining room table.”

The San Antonio Food Bank’s Summer Meals for Kids program bridges the gap for children when school cafeterias are closed for the summer. With your help we will provide no-cost, nutritious meals to kids across the region this summer – so they can Eat Great, Play Great this summer.

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