Richard, a local chef, was recently in an accident that caused a brain injury. He can no longer work to provide for his family and is now on disability. He lives with his wife; two children, both college students; and his widowed mother. Richard is grateful for the CROS Community Food Pantry to help feed his family during this time of need.

CROS Ministries means so much to me. I am homebound and live alone. Your homebound meal program provides me with the nourishment I need. The person who delivers my meals is also very kind and sweet.

One of our homeless pantry clients came to the food pantry one day stressed about the weather- heat and rain. She had also lost her phone at the beach which made life even more overwhelming. Nevertheless, she is always thankful for the help she receives on a weekly basis from our pantry. She says having food alleviates the stress and helps her cope with everything else that’s going on.

My family and I would like to thank you for all your love and support during our hard time of having my dad out of work. Thank you for the backpacks of food, extra snacks, and for celebrating my Birthday with me this summer at Camp. It meant a lot!

Sam never anticipated his retirement years would end up like this. His social security income barely covers his daily needs, and he does not qualify for government assistance. He never thought he would have to rely on a food pantry to get him through, but he does. He is thankful for the Lake Worth Food Pantry and the food and referrals the volunteers have shared with him.
Jose recently lost his job. He is actively looking for work. He is grateful for the food he gets from a CROS food pantry while he looks for a new job. Thanks to the food he receives, he does not have to worry about going to interviews hungry.

Suzie is a grandmother of eight. She is disabled and takes care of her eight grandchildren every afternoon, on holidays, and during the summer. This requires her to keep extra food at her home. “Taking care of my grandchildren is important to me. Coming to the food pantry makes it so that I can keep looking after them. If I didn’t come to the pantry I would not be able to feed myself, let alone my grandkids.”

From my very first glean, I was hooked and truly felt like a real part of the CROS community. Since then, I have met some of the most amazingly generous people, from the farmers who donate their fields to the volunteers picking in those fields and down to the people at the Palm Beach County Food Bank who transport, store, and distribute the fresh produce we’ve collected. Through the Gleaning program, I feel that I am helping to really make a difference for the food insecure in our county. Volunteering with CROS is not only inspiring, it is also strongly motivating and encouraging.”

My first experience with gleaning was with my mother and sister at a tomato farm in Delray Beach. Over the years, I’ve helped glean tomatoes, corn, bell peppers, and mangoes. I’ve enjoyed every moment. Gleaning allows me to experience the side of life I’ve never been in touch with, the farm life. The best part of gleaning is the sense of accomplishment. After four hours of farming and five or six boxes of produce that I have gleaned, I always feel a sense of accomplishment because I know that the produce I glean will directly help people in my community. Gleaning may be tiring and tough, but it truly helps people within the community and that is why I Iove gleaning.

Beth and her husband are both veterans. Her husband struggles with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and has made several attempts on his life. Beth struggles to maintain a job, because she must take care of her husband. She is grateful to our pantry volunteers who treat her with dignity and respect, allowing her to let go of the shame she feels about asking for help.
Dawn is a mother of five who visited our food pantry in Belle Glade. When the staff person noted that Dawn had not been to the pantry in a year, Dawn explained that her family goes up north in the summer to work and upon their return they have to wait a couple of weeks before work starts up again here. Once they start working again, they do not need the pantry’s help. However, finances are very tight during the weeks they are out of work. The pantry, she said, has been a life saver to her family. She was so thankful for our pantry.

Clarissa sought help from a CROS Food Pantry after her wallet and all the cash she had for the month was stolen. She takes care of her husband, Joe, who is bedridden, and has her two daughters. Both daughters are students at local colleges and still live at home. Clarissa is overjoyed by the amount of food she received from the pantry. “I know that I may not always need the pantry, but I am grateful it was there for my family and me during this time of crisis.”

As a foster parent of five children, Lucy felt it was a huge blessing for her oldest foster child to take part in CROS Ministries’ camp program. Her daughter enjoyed her summer and will always remember the experiences she shared with other campers.