The coronavirus outbreak brought us nothing but chaos and made us live in what we now call the “new normal”. There’s the lockdown, home quarantine, wearing of face masks, regular handwashing, social isolation, and many others.
But apart from those, a lot also lost their jobs because countless business establishments were forced to go on temporary shutdown. Worse, some businesses permanently closed due to bankruptcy because they went unprofitable for the past year.
The loss of many jobs means lesser food on plates for a lot of families. This also means more hungry family members and when we talk about family members, that includes children – that’s the most heartbreaking part.
This story, however, will show you not only the reality of global hunger but also the reality of kindness of people.
It all started during a virtual class.
One day, while in their virtual class, a 9-year-old girl who’s residing with her family in the Jersey Shore made a heartbreaking revelation that shocked everyone.
During their Zoom class, a teacher saw the third-grader crying. The poor girl then revealed to them that she was “starving”, she also added that her mom lost her job.
Hearing such a confession from an innocent girl is downright painful, not only to the ears but more particularly to the heart.
Help is here little girl.
A social worker from the school district called Fulfill, a New Jersey-based local food bank. They explained that the girl was crying “uncontrollably” and was having a hard time concentrating on class.
Linda Kellner, the director of external affairs for Fulfill, said:
“When asked what was wrong, she confessed in front of her entire class that she was starving. It’s just all so heart-wrenching and frankly, very very courageous of this little girl.”
They soon discovered that the little girl’s mom had lost her job at a local restaurant due to the coronavirus outbreak. Their mom losing her job resulted in lesser food in her stomach and that also includes her other siblings, a brother, and a sister.
Fulfill is fulfilling their duty.
The kindhearted people from Fulfill quickly put all their hands on deck and started to take action about the little girl and her family’s predicament.
The food bank provided the family with supplies and everyday necessities like food, personal care items, and grocery store gift cards.
Fulfill also helped the 9-year-old girl’s mom to sign up for healthcare and food stamps. All these while still giving them hot meals seven days a week.
Finding a permanent solution.
Thankfully, they’re able to land her a new job as a dishwasher but they still want her to explore other employment opportunities that can sustain all of their needs.
They know supplying them with what they need is just a temporary solution. Fulfill wanted the mom to have a stable job that will give their family stability.
Kellner said they are “looking to stabilize the family with the resources they need.”
Turns out, the little girl’s story also helped the food bank.
Because her heartbreaking story went viral, they received a humongous amount of support from thousands of donors. It helped them purchase new kids’ winter clothes and footwear. Because of the outpour of help, Fulfill was also able to help more families.
Truth be told, many other kids share the same story as the “starving” girl.
Karla Bardinas, a spokesperson for Fulfill said:
“It’s tremendous how this story has touched so many people. I think it’s just the thought of how this little girl … how desperate she would have to be to say that in front of her classmates.”
For Keller, the little girl’s story inspired her to do more for the people who need their help:
“Think of being this 9-year-old little girl so consumed by hunger that you can’t think about reading, math or writing. All you’re thinking about is that pain in your stomach. That really is what keeps me up at night.”
If you want to help Fulfill in fulfilling their duty, you may visit their website to share your donations. No help is big or small, every donation counts.
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