Six-year-old Tiffany beams as she walks through the Falcon Mini Market with her mom, Jessica. Like any child, Tiffany loves picking out her favorite foods. Bananas always make it into the cart, along with a few special cereals she enjoys. Tiffany is on the autism spectrum, so having the freedom to choose the foods she loves means even more to her.

The Falcon Mini Market is part of Houston Food Bank’s School Market program, where small grocery-style markets are set up right on school campuses. Families choose the foods that fit their needs and preferences, and student volunteers help run the markets. It’s a community helping one another — and it’s possible because of you.

For Jessica, a single mother of two, your support means the world. She works full-time in the insurance industry, is raising her kids, and recently completed her degree in business management, all while dreaming of someday owning her own insurance agency. And like so many hardworking parents, she finds herself caught in the middle: earning too much to qualify for assistance, but not enough to comfortably keep up with rising costs.

“This is extremely helpful for someone who is working hard and trying to make ends meet,” Jessica says. “It’s a means to an end. It’s very helpful for moms like me who are struggling. Thank you!”

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