Annie has prioritized health and wellness for most of her life, having studied public health and administration and working in public health as a career. But her focus on health these days is much closer to home.
Annie, 70, is mother to Johanna and grandmother to Ainsley. All three follow a vegan diet, Annie says, which is something that has been made easier thanks to the food she receives from Living Waters, a Kansas Food Bank partner food pantry.
“They know our diet and [provide] things for us they know we can have,” Annie says of Living Waters volunteers and staff. “They won’t offer things we can’t have.”
Annie no longer works outside the home but prioritizes caring for Johanna and Ainsley. She shares that, in addition to developmental disabilities, Johanna has health problems that require dietary restrictions, such as a low potassium diet. Ainsley has been diagnosed with autism and epilepsy, so a healthy diet is also critical to her overall health.
The family gardens together as a way to share special time with one another and also grow their own fresh produce. And, because you choose to give, Annie can visit Living Waters all year long to pick up plenty of fresh produce and additional healthy, vegan food for her girls.
Living Waters follows Healthy Eating Research (HER) nutrition guidelines, helping clients choose healthiest foods based on a colorcoded system. Food items are ranked based on their levels of saturated fat, sodium and sugars.
Thank you for helping put nutritious food within reach of every Kansan this summer!