Pat volunteers at her church every week, serving hungry Marylanders hot meals and assisting in the kitchen. While she’s not food-insecure herself, it pains her to see what hunger does to the people in her community.

“Everybody gets hungry. Everybody does.”
-Pat

Throughout her time as a volunteer, Pat has gotten to know individuals and families — many of them employed — who come back to the soup kitchen regularly. Before this experience, Pat never understood how widely her community was impacted by hunger.

“I never realized we have so much hunger here.”
-Pat

Pat’s church kitchen serves hundreds of people each week, and she’s amazed at how many families and children need help. Even after the kids get their meal, some of them will ask for a little extra to take home.

“Some of these kids go to bed hungry.”
-Pat

Pat remembers one particular man who came to the soup kitchen, at first embarrassed about needing help. Since then he’s gotten back on his feet, and today, he regularly donates to the church that lifted him up when he was down.

“I’ve never been here before, how do I do this?”
-Pat