National Hunger Hotline Stories

• Pregnant and fleeing her abusive husband, a Hispanic woman from New Jersey called the Hotline in search of food and medical assistance for herself, her toddler, and her unborn child. While the toddler was already a recipient of Medicaid, the mother’s immigrant status disqualified her from participation in the program. She also spoke no English and thus could not communicate with any of the service providers she had been able to find. We referred her to several food pantries, including a Catholic social service which runs a program for pregnant, Spanish-speaking women. We also provided her with contact information for a legal support group so that she might pursue child support.
  
  
• Home from Iraq and ashamed to be asking for help, a young Nevada veteran called the Hotline in search of affordable health care for her two-year-old son. Frustrated that her service to her country had gone unappreciated and without reward, she insisted she would return to school if she could afford to, but that her VA benefits and food stamps were not enough to cover basic expenses, let alone tuition. We provided her with contact information for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), as well as for her local WIC office. Not only would participation in these programs reduce her financial burden, it could potentially enable her to begin saving for school as well.
  
  
• Frantic over the health of her pregnant daughter, a disabled New Jersey woman called the Hotline for help. Mononucleosis had forced her daughter to take an unpaid sick leave several months earlier, and the pressure to catch up with bill payments had reduced both to a diet of pasta and other inexpensive starches. The situation came to a head during the daughter’s most recent visit to the OB/GYN, when she was told that her baby’s health was at risk and that she must start eating meat immediately. Hotline staff directed the family to First Call for Help, the United Way’s local referral line, which would connect them with support services in their area. We also provided them with a listing of nearby soup kitchens so that the expectant mother could begin accessing meals with meat that same day.
  
  
• A young mother from Oklahoma called the Hotline looking for programs that help low-income families access healthy food. A participant in the food stamp and WIC programs, she was frustrated by the lack of fresh produce in low-income neighborhoods and incensed by the widespread belief that healthy food is a luxury, not a right. While her concerns mirrored those of the food justice movement, she was unaware that such a movement even existed. We provided her with a general overview, emphasized the centrality of grassroots action, and encouraged her to put her indignation to good use. We then referred her to a local chapter of the SHARE program, which provides fresh, discounted groceries in return for two hours of community service a month. We suggested that she use the program as a springboard for organizing efforts.
  
  

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