Voices of IFC

“End of October 2010 I lost my job and didn’t have savings! How could we [survive] when we had a $4,400 mortgage payment and my husband was in school…?

November our electricity was shut off and the day before Thanksgiving my husband caught on FIRE while turning on our brand new generator. Buying a generator was cheaper than paying our electricity bill… My husband survived with minimal damages considering he was on FIRE!

January 27th we lost our home of 7 years… Luckily we found an apartment fairly soon.

A week before February 27th, 2011, my husband and I, at wits end, remembered Interfaith Food Center and went to sign-up…

Upon arriving at Interfaith Food Center I sat with Amy who was registering me. In conversation Amy asked for my daughter’s date of birth and I said ‘February 27th: one week away and I’m worried about it!” Amy smiled and kept going with the registration process. Once we finished Amy guided me to the line and stepped away. Just as I was signing in Amy returned with a hand knitted beautiful turquoise sweater and asked if it looked like it’ll fit my daughter. I replied yes and that’s when she asked if I wanted it as a gift for my daughter’s birthday. I said, ‘Yes I would, it’s beautiful, thanks a lot!” My daughter absolutely loves it and wears it often.

Interfaith Food Center not only helps our family with groceries in our time of need, but its volunteers seem to truly care. Without IFC our life would be much harder and our bellies hungrier…

I thank this organization and its volunteers for making a difference in our lives.”

[IFC provides] the kindness and support of keeping the faith [that] is so important when you feel that there is no hope anymore and you cannot keep going on with life. I want to thank you all for being here, for if it were not for IFC I would feel, ‘where would I go? What would I do?’ The love and kindness is more important I feel and the food – it’s also food for my soul and I’m so grateful for everything and everyone who gives their time to [IFC].

“Walking up to IFC for the first time was so hard, realizing my family had nowhere else to go for food. We barely had enough money to pay rent, let alone buy food, but when you guys told me I could come twice a week to get food for my family I almost started to cry with joy. You gave me hope in a very trying time, the volunteers at IFC always greet you with a smile and never once have I felt guilt for having to come here. […] I leave there feeling so great that my family has food to eat.”

“IFC means I have a place that I can count on to get food!!! I have a heart condition and am on SSI so the food really helps! It benefits me to know that I won’t get hungry or go hungry. My income from SSI barely pays my bills.”

“I’m able to buy my meds and pay my bills without any trouble like I used to before when I had to spend money on food, money I didn’t have to begin with. I am a senior citizen and I’m on a fixed income. So you mean to me, my next full meal and my ability to pay for gas and electricity.”