For Gaye, food insecurity is a periodic reality. At first she was embarrassed about seeking out help at a food pantry, but she has gained a sense of community and normalcy in her interactions with the kind strangers she meets.

“You share information and they share back.”
-Gaye

As Gaye returns to the same food pantry every month, she has gotten to know some of the people who share her struggle. On an everyday basis, hunger is invisible and stigmatized, but here, she finds affirmation.

“A lot of people I know cannot relate whatsoever.”
-Gaye

Gaye tries to keep her head up despite falling upon hard times, and for her, food pantries are a lifeline—not just for the nutrition she receives but for the perspective she gains from exchanging stories with others.

“It’s almost like a counseling session in a sense.”
-Gaye