Nutrition
Feeding San Diego
MAKING THE HOLIDAYS BRIGHTER FOR SAN DIEGANS IN NEED
Melissa and her daughter Zoey
For most , the holiday season is a time for celebrating with family and enjoying festive traditions . This year , the landscape looks a lot different for many San Diegans . Persistent inflation means higher costs , from necessities like food and gas to the luxuries that make the season bright . Many families are facing difficult choices every day .
One such family is Melissa and her two daughters , 16-year-old McKenzie and 6-year-old Zoey . As a single mom , Melissa is familiar with dealing with difficult situations . She has been through a lot this year alone : the whole family got COVID , she experienced financial setbacks after missing work when the family was sick , and now the worst of all : a cancer diagnosis . These challenges are in addition to being a survivor of an abusive relationship . Through it all , Melissa puts her children first .
“ There have been times , in the past , where I have chosen not to eat so that Zoey can eat and make sure she was full . As long as she was full and went to bed and her stomach was full , that was fine . I could eat tomorrow ,” she shares . With everything she has been through , Melissa remains a fighter , determined to ensure her family has what they need . She is no stranger to the impossible choices affecting many in our community .
66 GBSAN . COM | DECEMBER 2022