When Mirna first visited the Nourish Up Food Lion Feeds Pantry a few months ago, she didn’t expect to recognize the person helping her shop.
Mirna is a single mother of four. When her family needs help with groceries, Nourish Up provides some breathing room in a budget stretched between food, rent, and other necessities.
Before ever visiting the pantry, Mirna already knew Ana’s name — and, more importantly, she knew her voice.
Nourish Up for help. She answers the phone, helps connect neighbors with grocery referrals, and, as a Spanish speaker,
is someone many of our Spanish-speaking neighbors have come to know. Every so often, Ana also volunteers her time in our pantry to help translate.
It just so happened that Ana was there on the day Mirna came in.
As Ana began helping her shop, Mirna heard her distinctive voice and knew right away that it was the same warm, caring voice she had heard on the phone when she needed help. The person who had listened, helped her, and made her feel cared for…was standing right beside her.
“Many people mention Ana’s name, and I said, one day I am going to meet her.”
For Ana, the moment was just as unexpected. She remembers being surprised when Mirna recognized her, and the two greeted each other with a long hug.
It was a small moment, but one that spoke volumes about the experience Mirna had found at Nourish Up.
“I feel comfort that I need groceries and they treat me with kindness,” she shared.
The groceries have provided another kind of comfort for Mirna and her family. With four children, grocery expenses add up quickly. The food she receives from Nourish Up helps stretch her budget, giving her more room to pay rent while still preparing dinners her children enjoy, like chicken and vegetables.
Mirna came to Nourish Up not knowing quite what to expect. She came for groceries to nourish her family. What she found was a familiar voice, a new friend, and the kind of compassion that nourishes something deeper, too.
