Frisco's Melanie Long is grocery shopping at a food pantry for the first time in her life. She says, "I'm a hair stylist and the economy has been really bad." That's the new, harsh reality for many North Texans who were, until recently, middle class.
Melanie Long is a 38-year-old, single mother. She says it is a blessing to have the help, but the cold, hard truth is this. She says, "It's terrible. I'm humiliated to actually be here."
Frisco Family Services is seeing record need right now. The number of first-time clients is up 52%. A lot of them are formerly middle class. Frisco Family Services' Development Director Joni Klarin says, "Folks who have lost their jobs and down sizing or even a reduction in pay, they've had to take that to keep their job and they are living at a level where that's not enough."
32-year-old Mona Leon had to quit her job a few months ago to care for her terminally ill dad. It ate up her savings, forcing her to turn to Minnie's Food Pantry in Plano. She says, "It's hard, but my kids benefit from it, they get all the nutrients they need and it's very healthy."
The founder of Minnie's Food Pantry expects the need to get worse soon. She is also seeing unprecedented demand, a 100% increase in the past month. Again, they are the faces you don't expect. Minnie's Food Pantry Founder Cheryl Jackson says, "It's frightening because I don't think the community really understands the magnitude of how many people are going to bed hungry or wondering where their next meal will come."
Melanie Long is a 38-year-old, single mother. She says it is a blessing to have the help, but the cold, hard truth is this. She says, "It's terrible. I'm humiliated to actually be here."
Frisco Family Services is seeing record need right now. The number of first-time clients is up 52%. A lot of them are formerly middle class. Frisco Family Services' Development Director Joni Klarin says, "Folks who have lost their jobs and down sizing or even a reduction in pay, they've had to take that to keep their job and they are living at a level where that's not enough."
32-year-old Mona Leon had to quit her job a few months ago to care for her terminally ill dad. It ate up her savings, forcing her to turn to Minnie's Food Pantry in Plano. She says, "It's hard, but my kids benefit from it, they get all the nutrients they need and it's very healthy."
The founder of Minnie's Food Pantry expects the need to get worse soon. She is also seeing unprecedented demand, a 100% increase in the past month. Again, they are the faces you don't expect. Minnie's Food Pantry Founder Cheryl Jackson says, "It's frightening because I don't think the community really understands the magnitude of how many people are going to bed hungry or wondering where their next meal will come."
