"Thank you so much for the good food today and for being so kind. It means a lot that you made the sacrifice to be out in the weather to give food to families. You are heroes!"
~Program Mom, WCFR Curbside Meal Distribution
Seasons greetings,
As I look back at 2020, it may seem like a story of numbers – hundreds of cars in line for food, thousands of people in need, over a million meals provided – but it’s so much more. This year revealed compelling and often heart-breaking stories of women, children and families, many seeking food assistance for the first time in their lives.
Balancing work, family obligations and limited resources is a common thread among women served at Women & Children’s Free Restaurant. This year has been particularly difficult for women trying to keep their families fed during job losses, school closures, illness and isolation.
Although necessary for public health, these closures resulted in unprecedented hardships for low-income families. Many of the women seeking assistance at WCFR worked in retail, restaurants and other hospitality settings. They could not transition to a Zoom-based work environment like so many others. For them, lay-offs and furloughs are the reality and Zoom is how their children access education.
As difficult as their circumstances have become, our program families inspire us with their determination, gratitude and resiliency. We serve as their partner in making certain they have healthy meals and groceries. As long as we’re here, they will not go hungry.
We have served over one million meals to our community in 2020. That’s ten times the number of meals planned for and budgeted this year. We’re operating seven days a week, meeting thousands of individuals at our safe, curbside meal distributions, and providing meals to 20 homeless shelters and care centers across the community.
As you make your year-end giving decisions, please consider a gift of $20 per month to Women & Children’s Free Restaurant. Your gift, in any amount, is needed to keep our nutrition programs available for women and children navigating the pandemic and beyond. Together, we can give the gift of food security for the coming year.
On behalf of our board of directors, staff and volunteers, thank you for everything you’ve done to keep our mission strong and effective.
Our very best wishes to you and yours during this beautiful season of giving and hope.
With love and gratitude,
