Stories of Hunger

HFB fights hunger

Jesse


Jesse, who has been working for TSA for 16 years, states this isn’t his first government shutdown, but “this one seems different.” He says his duty is to serve the American people but he is struggling with that since today he is waiting in line for food and applying for SNAP and tomorrow he’s supposed to go back to work.

Jesse says the toughest choice he’s trying to make right now is whether to pay for the medicine he needs for his diabetes, or use the money for other things like gas or towards the mortgage. He’s thankful that he doesn’t have to worry about food for a few days, but still says when it comes to these difficult choices, “I lose all the way around.” A former Catholic priest, Jesse says he’s used to being on the other side of food insecurity.

“I used to send people to pantries and collect food at the church to give to people.” He again says he’s thankful that the food is available from the Houston Food Bank at this distribution, at least now he has “one less bit of stress.”