Focus on the Fight Against Hunger during March

Unexpected Twists and Turns in Life
By Terri Bunnell, Food Shelf Office Manger

Each day at10 AM I unlock the food shelf door and turn the sign from closed to open. I greet each person who arrives with “Good Morning” or “Hello”. One morning in late November, I open the door to a very upset elderly man who quickly said “I have never used the food shelf before.” I could see the shame in his demeanor.

He explained that he works part time and cares for his wife who is disabled. One day he took her on a drive up the north shore, just to get her out of the house. They arrived home that afternoon to a broken pipe and flooded apartment.

Later that week while driving to work, a deer leapt from the woods and hit his car. The car was not salvageable. Those unexpected twists and turns in his life had led him to the food shelf. I explained “We are here to help folks past the difficult times in life and you are always welcome to return.”

He was grateful for the food and for the compassion and acceptance. Any one of us could quickly find our selves in a difficult situation as we wade through the unexpected twists and turns in our lives.