National Hunger Hotline Stories
Winter 2005

• When her husband’s hourly wages were cut by five dollars, an Ohio woman was forced to stop taking her medications so that she and her family might eat. Consequently, her health was steadily deteriorating. She called the Hotline for help, explaining that many families in the area were undergoing similar hardship. We provided her with contact information for the local food stamp and Medicaid offices. We also referred her to a local agency where she could receive emergency help with her prescriptions.
  
  
• A woman from a low-income community in Pennsylvania called the Hotline for advice. Both she and her husband were suffering from severe, diet-related illness, and she wanted to learn how to prepare healthy meals on a low budget. We connected her with her county’s cooperative extension office, which runs free nutritional classes for adults in similar positions.
  
  
• A Florida mother called the Hotline after being hit by several hurricanes. All of her food had been lost during the blackouts, and her disability check—her only source of income—was not enough to replace it. Moreover, the local school had closed due to hurricane damage, and she could not depend on her children receiving their usual free lunches. Consequently, both she and her children had been forced to skip meals. We informed her that she was eligible for emergency food stamps and provided her with the appropriate contact information. We also referred her to several emergency food providers so that she and her children could receive immediate relief.
  
  
• A young, single mother from Georgia called the Hotline inquiring about food stamps. She was about to be on her own for the first time, and lacking both a job and child support, she did not know how she would provide for her two young children. After providing contact information for the local food stamp office, we spoke with her about the WIC program and encouraged her to apply. We then referred her to both an employment support program for low-income women and a local legal aid office, which would help her pursue child support. We also explained how she could apply for emergency assistance with her bills.
  
  
• Driven into bankruptcy by her abusive husband, a woman from Florida called looking for food, utility, and legal assistance. Her salary as a Wal-Mart cashier made her ineligible for food stamps, and she was despondent at the prospect of surviving on canned food from local food pantries. We referred her to a local chapter of the SHARE program, which provides fresh, discounted groceries in return for two hours of community service per month. We also provided contact information for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and for a pro bono legal assistance group. Finally, we connected her with a domestic violence center, which provides various services to victims of abuse.
  
  
• Hungry and on the brink of homelessness, a recently unemployed couple from rural Mississippi called the Hotline in search of food assistance. They had no transportation, little food, and no means of paying their bills. To make matters worse, they could not apply for food stamps because they were required to apply in person but could not afford the $50 cab fare to the closest office. We called the office on their behalf and explained their situation to the supervisor. She agreed that given the extenuating circumstances, a special allowance would be made, and that they could apply over the phone.
  
  
• Weeks from becoming a new father, a man from Illinois called the Hotline to ensure that he and his girlfriend were doing everything possible to prepare for their first child. They were working hard to make ends meet, but things were tight, and they did not know what assistance might be available to them. We provided information regarding food stamps and the WIC program and explained how they could apply for medical coverage for the baby. We also connected them with a local family resource center, which could provide the couple with emergency services, parenting classes, and referrals to other agencies.
  
  
• A Florida woman had been living in her trailer in a national forest when the first of the season’s hurricanes hit. Fallen trees destroyed the trailer, looters stole her computer and various other appliances, her car suffered serious damage, and her living companion passed away. Furthermore, Hurricane Andrew had left her legally blind, and she was restricted from driving at night and on highways. Fortunately, she managed to repair her car and flee the forest before the final hurricanes destroyed what was left. She came to a nearby town, where she met a social worker who allowed her to take refuge in his home while he himself was away on business. Albeit grateful to have found shelter, the woman was still without food and clothing. She called the Hotline, which referred her to a nearby food pantry, a Meals on Wheels service provider, and the local chapter of the United Way.