Lifting Spirits With Groceries and Love!

For many families in the U.S., paying for groceries is a struggle.  

“Being a single mother is really hard,” says Aimee Watts. “Just having to keep the food on the table, and just keeping the lights on and the water. Just me and my kids, like I’ve tried to do the best that I can for them. You want to do everything for them, and sometimes you just ain’t got it.”

When the pandemic began, many faced the additional challenge of having to shelter in place. 

Theresa Fuller, a senior who lives in a complex in Norfolk, Virginia, said, “There’s many of us here, we don’t have the money or we don’t have the ability to get to places to get food. We’re all so much in need, especially during this pandemic. It scared me, and I know it scared many of us here to even step outside.”

“It’s been really hard,” said Laura Bradshaw, who lives in the same complex as Theresa. “I know that we’re all in binds right now, so I try to pay attention to what I really, really need.”

Beverly Wright, who runs “Jonathan Cares” in Virginia, knew this was an opportunity to serve her community, but she also knew she couldn’t do it alone. 

She says, “When we decided to really get busy and feeding people, we went right to the people we knew, and that was Operation Blessing. I think that partnership is phenomenal because it gives us an opportunity to give people non-perishable and perishable items. We are their transportation. We pick up the food, we bag food, and we take it directly to their houses."

Laura shares, “When we receive this, it takes a lot of pressure off your heart. It helps you not to be depressed so much. It just lifts your heart up, and we appreciate Operation Blessing so much!”