Gail has a heart full of compassion. Every month, she dedicates time to volunteering at her local food pantry to help feed her neighbors. "I pack the food with love," she says, knowing firsthand what it is like to experience food insecurity.
Two years ago, Gail fell ill and was found by a close friend in her apartment after she had been unable to leave her bed or call for help.
She spent three weeks in the hospital and nine months in a nursing facility to heal. Her life changed drastically during this time. She lost the apartment she had lived in for 20 years, relied on nurses and her sister for care, and accumulated a large amount of medical debt.
Last year, her health improved enough to be able to move into an apartment of her own. She continues to visit Summa Health regularly to monitor her health.
Gail has worked hard her entire life. She supported herself through college to earn her bachelor's and master's degrees and most recently worked at a legal organization.
"I've worked most of my life. I never qualified or was eligible for food stamps," Gail reflects.
To help make ends meet, she started visiting the food pantry within Summa Health for nourishing groceries. The food pantry provides her with a variety of diet-conscious foods that can be expensive at the grocery store. With the help of the pantry, Gail can stretch her budget to cover her rent, utilities and medical debt.
Gail says to the people supporting local hunger relief, "Thank you. I'm going to speak for the people I run into at the food pantries — I see veterans there, single people, married couples, those living together, people with children, senior citizens, and disabled individuals. I’m speaking for all of them. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."