Jim, 73, has traveled the country, working in every industry from trucking to cooking. Yet nothing ever made him as happy as working in carpentry. “My dad was a carpenter,” he explains. “You drive by something and go, I did that. There’s pride there.”
Although Jim’s son, Joseph, didn’t follow him into carpentry, Jim is proud of his son’s achievements as a marine and soon-to-be mechanic. Joseph, 22, lives in Lincoln, Nebraska, and texts with his dad daily. The pair is especially close because Jim raised Joseph on his own.
When Joseph was young, Jim first learned of the Bird City Food Pantry, a Kansas Food Bank agency partner. Money was tight as a single parent, and the pantry was a lifeline.
Now retired, Jim returns to the food pantry to pick up food when he needs it. Much of his budget is used to manage his COPD, so he is grateful to have one less worry.
Over the years, he’s seen the quality of food improve, especially as fresh vegetables became more available. “We’re getting good stuff,” he says of the food he receives. “You go to a store and buy it, it’d be pretty expensive.”
The pantry is a vital resource for Jim. “Believe me, it [helps]!” he says. Your support helps make food available for even more neighbors like Jim — thank you!