Facing New Challenges

You are helping Jen begin again.

Jen will graduate from high school this year – the same year as her daughter.

“It only took me an extra 20 years,” said Jen. “But I’m going to do it.”

Now in her 40s, Jen became a mother as a teenager. She dropped out of school to care for her baby. Right at the same time, her mother became ill with cancer.

“So I was taking care of a baby, trying to work three jobs, and taking care of my mother,” said Jen. “There was no time for school.”

Her mother eventually passed away after a battle with colon cancer – and a few years later, Jen’s father also passed away.

And then Jen herself became ill.

“I had two seizures,” said Jen. “They thought it was from stress, but it was actually epilepsy.”

Jen also struggled with addiction, and was living with an abusive partner – both adding to the significant challenges that were already in her way.

It got so bad that Jen temporarily lost custody of her children.

“I got tired of the abuse, and I just left my ex-husband one day with my clothes, nothing else,” said Jen. “And I started over.”

Jen has been free from substance use for nine years and was able to reunite with her children.

With all these challenges, Jen has been unable to work most of her adult life and has relied on support from House of Friendship’s food distribution program.

“Being on disability, you can’t get much money,” said Jen. “And with rising rent costs, and the cost of food, it’s hard.”

That’s why Jen decided to return to school, finish her high school diploma, and start building the skills she needs to return to the workforce. Jen is grateful that she can get the food she needs
to feed her family – and wants people to know how much of a difference it makes.

“By the end of the month, if you looked in my fridge, it would be almost empty,” said Jen. “My kids never go hungry, but when it comes to the end of
the month, we’re pretty much going day to day.”

Your support of our Food programs ensures that women like Jen can get the help they need to feed their families and give them the courage to face new challenges. Thank you!