Kerrie is resilient. The past few years of her life have been a rollercoaster, but she always persists, even through the most challenging times.
Kerrie is from Ohio but moved to Florida a few years ago. While living in Florida and away from her family and support system, she found herself homeless.
She remembers the hardships of trying to find nourishing food without a place to stay. Without a stove or microwave, cooking affordable meals was difficult. And without storage to keep groceries safe, animals would get into what food she did have.
Kerrie recently moved back to Ohio to get back on her feet. She is no longer homeless and has a house that she is working hard to maintain.
She is currently looking for jobs at local grocery stores. She has training as a meat butcher and would love to return to the trade. While she is searching for employment, she visits The Keith D. Monda Family Food Pantry at the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank’s Stark County Campus for nourishing groceries like bread, frozen meat, canned goods and fresh produce.
“This helps a lot when I can’t afford to go to the store,” she says as she reflects on high food costs. “It is hard on everybody trying to survive.”
Because of the food pantry, Kerrie doesn’t have to make difficult choices like paying for her rent or utility bills and having meals.
“Thank you,” she says to the generous community members who support hunger relief. “You help a lot.”