Calvin reflects on the lasting impact the Summer Harvest program has had on his family during the summer months.
At a recent food distribution at Thomson High School, Calvin and his 12-year-old daughter shared how much receiving food support through Golden Harvest’s Summer Harvest program means to them during the summer months.
“This helps a lot,” Calvin said. “It fills the cabinets with real food we can use. We don’t have to stress as much about how to stretch what we’ve got.”
During the school year, children often rely on breakfast and lunch at school to help meet their daily needs. But when summer arrives, that support disappears. Golden Harvest’s Summer Harvest program helps bridge the gap and ensures families like Calvin’s can keep healthy meals on the table when it matters most.
Summer brings added pressure for parents already working hard to provide. Without the help of school meals, families often have to stretch tight budgets even further.
Like many households, Calvin’s family is juggling rising grocery prices, utility bills, and back-to-school costs all at once. Consistent access to pantry staples and fresh items from the Summer Harvest distribution gives them one less thing to worry about. “It’s about everything else it frees up, like gas for the car, shoes for school, whatever she needs.”
When asked how distributions like this help, Calvin didn’t hesitate. Every bit of savings, from canned goods to fresh produce, adds up in ways people may not always see. The extra room in his budget helps keep his daughter prepared and cared for.
He hopes others in his community feel empowered to seek help when they need it. Support like this, he said, isn’t just for those in crisis. It’s for anyone doing their best to make ends meet.
And for the donors who make it all possible, Calvin offered a simple message of gratitude: “A can of food, a dollar, whatever it is, it all helps and goes a long way.”
