Claudette Fizer helps run the food pantry at Cheatham County High School, but she noticed an issue. Some students didn’t want to take food boxes on the bus home with them, so a lot of food was staying in their pantries. Claudette had the idea to use that as an opportunity to reach out to her community. Via the Family Collective program, Claudette can identify families in need of assistance and provide them with counseling and food relief. She says, “We have really been able to target the families who need help the most.”
Carol works with Claudette as a family coach on the Family Collective Initiative. Due to her work, Carol recognizes the importance of hunger relief. She says, “The food bank in Cheatham County has to stay. A lot of people need this.”
Carol has a family she serves that she brings two of the biggest boxes of food she can carry. In four months, there was a death in the family, multiple cancer diagnoses, and reduced SNAP benefits – which left them in search of help. Carol says they are always appreciative. In August of last year, their 9-year-old daughter was rushed to the hospital for a diabetic coma – never knowing she had diabetes. Carol suspects the family may not be able to access the necessary foods to provide for their daughter’s diabetes if it weren’t for these food boxes. Carol says, “We shower love on them.”
Another family is in constant contact with Carol. She is always calling or texting them for a check-up, and to see if they need any food. The problem is, though, they don’t have transportation. Unable to afford a car and living in a rural area means there is no public transport for them to use. So, Carol or a coworker frequently makes visits to their house for counseling and to bring food boxes.
Every time they go on breaks, for summer or the holidays, Carol makes sure to reach out to all her families to see if they need food boxes to help make ends meet while her offices are closed. Two days ago (at the start of summer vacation), a family called Carol and said they have nothing for breakfast for their children. Carol was able to round up a box of breakfast items and milk and take it over for them.
One mother that is in Carol’s service loves to cook but can’t always afford the necessary ingredients to cook her favorite meals. She loves cooking so much that she is putting together a cookbook with all her special recipes, and, when looking through the ingredients, Carol realized every bit of it came from their food pantry. She says, “There are some really good recipes in there!”
Claudette reminds us that even though parents can get increased SNAP benefits for their children, it is often the grandparents in Cheatham County who are caring for children – who do not get increased benefits as easily. They are usually also on fixed incomes or retired.
The Johnson family has three sets of twins, ranging from 18 to 12 years old. The family lives with relatives, as well, so their household consists of almost 20 family members! Sadly, the family can’t afford furniture, and can hardly afford to put a roof over their heads. Carol and Claudette often visit their home with as much food as they can bring for the large family and have seen them progress as a result. The Johnsons now have mattresses for their children to sleep on and are in talks with local organizations to get more furniture. Carol says, “They are the cutest kids, and always respectful. One son came up to her on the last day of school and asked for some snacks to take home for the summer break.”
