Sharleen is that grandma. The one that everyone loves to visit, even the neighbor kids. Last summer, she got an above ground pool, and she says it’s part of her magic sauce to keep all the kids in her neighborhood, which can be rough, out of trouble. All summer long, she has kids in and out of the pool and she fees them sandwiches and popsicles when they get out, so they go home and sleep well for their parents.
Between her three children, Sharleen has six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren to keep her busy. When she’s not corralling kiddos, Sharleen keeps two houses clean and tidy, her own and that of her aging in-laws who live close by.
Sharleen’s husband is retired, and they live on a fixed income. The cost of living in the Puget Sound Region has skyrocketed in the recent past, leading the family to draw together. Sharleen reduces the family’s childcare expenses in the summer, and her husband applied for a part-time job as a dish washer.
Because her husband has diabetes to manage and recently had a heart attack too, the food bank has become an essential part of Sharleen’s life. Coming to the food bank makes it easier to balance the costs of his medications with food, and to eat in a way that supports health and active lifestyle for both of them, so they can continue to be great grandparents.
Nourish Pierce County (formerly FISH Food Banks) is a Food Lifeline Partner. Last year, Food Lifeline rescued and distributed over 800,000 pounds of food through Nourish Pierce County.
