Deanna Arellanez- a young, confident, well-spoken mother of two- and her family attended a Tzu Chi Mobile Food Pantry distribution in San Bernardino, California and shared her story.
The Tzu Chi Mobile Food Pantry in Southern California works toward the goal of helping reduce poverty statistics through food distributions. We invite nearby, low-income families to our distributions and offer fresh fruits and vegetables (unlike many traditional pantries) as well as dry goods to create nutritious, wholesome, and filling meals.
Deanna reveals it means much more than a plate of food:
“…it’s important for the kids to know that whatever struggle it is we go through, that we can put something into our body to make us stronger- stronger physically and mentally- to take us to that next level.”
Deanna Arellanez, Care Recipient
This way, the Tzu Chi Mobile Food Pantry provides necessary resources to these families so they can better allocate their time.
We couldn’t be more moved by how Deanna paid it all forward: she shared the meal she cooked- with the very ingredients she got from the Tzu Chi Mobile Food Pantry- with an elderly neighbor in need! She told us, “our neighbor gentleman doesn’t qualify for those types of benefits… so, you fall in a gap, and you’re hungry.”
With her daughters proudly delivering their neighbor a plate from their home, it’s wonderful to see an entire family embody the spirit of giving and compassion, even when they have little to give themselves. We’re proud to have met Deanna, who reminds us just how important it is to pass a bit of goodness on no matter what.
