Christine is helping raise her three grandchildren — Shawn, Jordan and Christie. Originally from South Africa, Christine is proud to call Middle Tennessee home after living here for many years.

No grandmother wants to see her grandbabies go hungry – but keeping nutritious food in the house isn’t always easy. Her daughter, the kids’ mom, works really hard to support everyone. But sometimes her paycheck combined with Christine’s fixed income just isn’t enough. Christine loves to prepare wholesome, balanced meals, but sometimes she simply can’t afford the ingredients.

“It’s important for me to put a good plate of healthy food in front of my family,” says Christine.

Fortunately, not all hope is lost. That’s because Christine is able to visit St. Luke’s Community House. Each month, Second Harvest sends out a Perishable Distribution that connects Christine and many other members of the community with an abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables and other staple pantry items.

Resources like Second Harvest’s Perishable Distributions are essential, especially for our neighbors who are unable to afford fresh produce, which is often more expensive than less-nutritious groceries. This means so much to Christine, who prefers to make all of her meals from scratch, using the freshest ingredients possible.

Years ago, Christine would often volunteer or donate around the holidays to help those who were hungry. She looks forward to being able to serve again in the future, but for now, her gratitude is deep because this time, she and her family are on the receiving end of that same generous spirit.

“There are a lot of good angels around — bless your hearts,” she says with warmth and true thankfulness for your gifts.