Maritza comes to the pantry each week, always with at least one of her three children in tow. Martiza is originally from Puerto Rico and her first language is Spanish, but she’s always finding ways to laugh with people regardless of the language they speak. Her oldest son is now a teenager. We remember him when he was just a little guy. Two of Maritza’s children are differently abled, including her oldest son who has speech delay, and now her youngest son, just two years old, has been diagnosed with autism. The youngest cries and cries and Martiza doesn’t know how to help him. Her oldest son volunteers with us, helping to restock the shelves while his mom goes shopping.
When Maritza visits the center we catch up on life. She’s stressed because she needs to find her sons more support and they need to find safer housing. She’s also proud of her daughter for starting high school. Hugs are shared, photos are pulled up on phones, and she’s loaded up with groceries for the week. Surrounded by family and friends, she sticks around for a bit to catch up with different people while her son helps.
NourishMKE is a source of support for many people like Martiza. We offer basic needs like food and diapers that can help calm a child down, while also being a source of warmth and friendship for their parents. We work together with our community to connect them to needed resources besides food. We offer a safe place for them to simply just be.