Jim spent his life working in factories, supporting his family and living comfortably. He never had to worry about where he would find his next meal. After retirement and with his two children grown, Jim found himself living on a fixed income and choosing between paying bills and buying groceries.
“I used to look in my cupboards and say, “Oh I got to buy that again,’” Jim stated. “Then, I would go to the grocery store more stressed than when I came in.”
Not knowing where to turn, Jim found the Love Center Food Pantry, a member of the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank. Walking in seeing large racks of produce, including potatoes, apples and lettuce, canned goods and dairy products, guests describe it as looking more like a grocery store than a food pantry.
Jim is now an active volunteer at the Love Center Food Pantry, and spends most of his free time lending a hand. But when money gets tight in the month, he knows he always has a place to turn.