Chris and Alana were overjoyed when they found out they were going to have triplets, but several months of bed rest for Alana during pregnancy and an extended hospital stay for the premature newborns put a severe strain on their finances. Chris was determined to make it work on his own and took on a second job to keep the bills paid and food on the table. He pushed dangerously hard, ignored the fact that he was getting sick, and landed in the hospital—with three newborns and a wife recovering from a difficult pregnancy at home.
After serious lung surgery, Chris struggled with his recovery. They didn't qualify for food assistance and, barely able to keep their heads above water, turned to the Newington Food Bank, a Foodshare partner, for help. "They were there for our family when it seemed like no one else was," Chris says. "They helped us weather the storm and keep food on the table and formula in the cupboard."
Chris and Alana made a vow then that once they were able to, they would give back to the community that stood by their side when they had nowhere else to turn. Now, Chris is a member of the Newington Hunger Action Team – friends, business people, and dedicated volunteers who are fighting hunger in their community and generously supporting their most vulnerable neighbors who are struggling.
"Our story is just one of the hundreds of stories of the men, women, and families that deal with the daily stress and struggle of figuring out how to survive under very difficult conditions."
