Brenda visits her local pantry, Unity Outreach, to pick up food items for herself and her daughter.
Brenda, a 75-year-old Trenton resident, has called her neighborhood home for over 50 years. But when Hurricane Helene struck, the life she had built was uprooted in unimaginable ways. The storm left her home with a hole in the roof and a bedroom floor too damaged to walk on, while her daughter’s home next door bore the brunt of Helene’s force. “It destroyed their entire house,” she said, her voice heavy with emotion.
Brenda’s daughter and two young grandsons, ages 10 and 12, moved into her already cramped home. With no power for over two weeks, Brenda found herself relying on the kindness of others but never wanting to impose.
Amid the devastation, Brenda found a vital lifeline through Unity Outreach Church Food Pantry. “They help here,” Brenda said simply. “If you need something, you come here, and they will help you. I don’t know what we’d do without them.”
Brenda’s gratitude for Golden Harvest and its partner agencies runs deep. She sees firsthand the impact these programs have on her community. “If it weren’t for them, a lot of people wouldn’t have anything,” she said, recalling the long lines she’s seen outside Unity Outreach. “For so many, this is all they have.
Though her journey is far from over, Brenda holds on to hope. She dreams of rebuilding her home and helping her family recover, all while staying grounded in her gratitude for the compassion she’s received. “They’re doing an excellent job for the community,” she said with a smile. “I just pray they can keep helping folks like me.”
We are deeply grateful to our donors, volunteers, staff, and partners who ensure families have the food they need, no matter the season. Thanks to you, we can bring hope and healing to families like Brenda’s, helping them rise above challenges and find strength in community.
