SAN ANTONIO – Eighty-six-year-old Judy Maines has been part of the Doris Griffin Senior Center for almost 10 years since her husband passed away, and now, for the past year, she has been receiving a monthly box of food that has fresh vegetables and canned goods to help her out with her monthly groceries.
“Oh, it’s a gift,” she said. “To me, it’s a wonderful feeling to know that you have that coming each month; it’s a big security.”
That security is thanks to the San Antonio Food Bank and the City of San Antonio’s Convoy of Hope.
But this is not the only time of year when the Food Bank provides boxes to seniors — in fact, it’s every month. Today’s event, however, will involve city council members delivering the boxes personally for the holiday season.
Eric Cooper, the CEO of the San Antonio Food Bank, said many of our seniors rely solely on their social security checks, and a lot of the time, there is not enough left for groceries.
“These amazing people that have served, given, and raised and now in their twilight years have oftentimes have to choose between paying for their medicine of buying food,” Cooper said.
It’s why Miss Judy said she is so grateful for this program, and it saves her a trip and money.
“A lot of times, I can’t get out to the store, and these boxes have vegetables and other things I can use,” Judy said.
In the spirit of helping out her community, Miss Judy will even give back what she doesn’t use.
“And if I can’t use it, I’ll give it to a neighbor because I want to help them too.”