Lisa has been visiting the Southeast Tacoma Nourish Food Bank for the last five or six months.
She and her husband care for two of their aging parents, who have moved in with them. “There are four of us here now. Things are tight but we are trying to get through it.” One of their parents has a long-term medical issue that requires frequent doctor visits, the other is suffering from dementia, Lisa explained.
Lisa cleans houses and she works whenever she can, but, she has lost a few clients recently and she has been busy taking her family members to medical appointments. Her husband works full-time building and repairing cell phone towers. She said they are trying to support everyone in the house on just one income. “It’s hard to make ends meet without the food bank.”
Experiences like Lisa’s, where a family member is caring for aging parents, is becoming more common. According to the Pew Research Center, one in seven adults provide unpaid care for other adults in their lives.
Lisa first found the food bank when a friend brought her to visit when she needed help. Now, she gives other people a ride when they need it, so they can get help too. “God put us on this earth to care for and help one another.” She says the food bank is truly helping people right now. “You are a true blessing to people.”