Life’s struggles happen. We all go through tough times. But when things go south all at once, it’s difficult to press on without a helping hand.

After Stephanie lost her job, her husband, who suffers from a genetic heart problem, began fainting from high blood pressure and could no longer work. Fearing he’d pass out during daily activities like cooking or driving, Stephanie became a caretaker for her husband and two young daughters.

“It’s been one thing after another the past two years,” Stephanie laments. “We’ve just been in a hard spot. Things get heavy sometimes. I tried to hide my struggles from the rest of my family, but when you’re eating only rice and beans, they notice. For the kids, you want real food — like meats, fruits, and veggies.”

With bills mounting, income halted, and meals limited, Stephanie’s sister brought her to a Second Harvest-supported mobile food distribution at Highlands Church in Smyrna for the first time.

“I grew up without a lot of things, so we went without food when I was a kid. But I don’t want my kids to feel that…”

“I grew up without a lot of things, so we went without food when I was a kid. But I don’t want my kids to feel that, so when my sister recommended that we reach out to the church, we did.”

Today, Stephanie is happy to report that she’s back to work, and her husband watches the kids during the day while she works from home. But her new income still doesn’t make ends meet, while disqualifying her from most government assistance. For now, this grateful family will need to lean on the compassion of kind neighbors like you.

Thank you for blessing our family,” Stephanie shares with friends like you. “Hopefully one day we’ll be able to bless another family like you, and the church have blessed us.”