Client Story – “A Safety Net for Single Moms”
By Karen Garcia, Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank Recipient

I learned of the Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank five years ago after moving back to town with my five children as a single mother. I lived down the road from it and signed up for their services when they were doing a food giveaway one summer.

Our family was very blessed to receive support from the Holiday Gift Barn that year and to be able to shop for groceries, household items, and clothing at the food bank. It brought a sense of normalcy and community to our lives during a time when we were facing some financial challenges due to lack of childcare.

Despite being employed, I was not receiving adequate financial support for my children, making it impossible to pay bills and buy the bare essentials and have anything left over for extra things for the kids. The food bank helped immensely by providing the basics and even some treats for the kids, allowing me to make better meals with more variety for them with what we would have spent on the essentials. I found it easier to pay bills because I was spending less on food and the kids always looked forward to seeing what was new and making their own choices.

One of the things I really loved in the past was the free flower bouquets provided by local grocery stores. The flowers provided a time for me to relax and enjoy arranging them and they made our home brighter and feel more cheerful. It was a luxury we never could have afforded that made a big difference in feeling good about our space. It was a small thing that had a big impact and made us feel cared about in our community.

Over the years I became friends with other mothers and met a mom who also had five kids the same age as mine. Those connections were a blessing, and we probably never would have met if it hadn’t been for the Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank. We were able to help support each other and see our families succeed despite the financial struggle of being the sole parent to a large family. I think it has also been a nice way for young families to connect with some of the elderly in the community.

Another thing that we have always appreciated about the Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank is the kindness and eagerness of the volunteers to help everyone feel welcome. On hot days, waiting in line for 30 minutes can be rough and they always came around with cold water. When young children would get fussy or start crying, they have a basket of snacks they would offer them and books in front to make it less boring and easier for them to wait.

Although time went by when we didn’t use the resources at the Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank, it was reassuring knowing it was there just the same. And when COVID happened, that was all the food some families had access to when the shutdown happened. Two years later, childcare is still an issue for us and many families were devastated by the school closures and daycares closing when working from home wasn’t an option. The resources offered at Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank have provided people with the security of knowing where their next meal is coming from during a time when most of us don’t have any idea what tomorrow holds at all.