Born and raised in St. Louis, Marlene has spent the past few months picking up groceries from a St. Louis Area Foodbank FARM (Food Access and Resource Market) Drive-Thru Distribution at Affinia South Broadway for a friend and her family.
Marlene’s friend and her husband both work, but after their combined income exceeded the threshold for SNAP benefits, they no longer qualified for that support. With four children and a work schedule that starts before the distribution opens, attending the food distribution has become more difficult.
“She asked if I could help in this way,” Marlene says. “I am retired, so I have time to be available for this. I have found that there are a lot of families that are in need, and this is a small way I can help.”
Marlene shares that her friend’s children especially appreciate the fresh vegetables she picks up from the distribution.
“Her kids will eat most stuff we get here, but they definitely love the fresh vegetables,” she says.
Marlene has been aware of the Foodbank for a long time and says she previously volunteered through her church as a Girl Scout leader, packing food at the Foodbank.
She is grateful for everyone who helps make distributions like this one possible.
“This may seem small, but it’s dollars in their pockets, and they appreciate it,” she says. “This frees up money for them to pay their utilities. This is so important. Thank you so much for doing this.”
