BLOG The Stories of Us

Marcus never imagined he would find himself in this position.

Not long ago, he had a good job, a comfortable home, and a reliable car. He was in his mid twenties and life was good. But when he lost his job, everything changed. Suddenly, his income disappeared, and he wasn’t prepared to manage his expenses on a much smaller budget for the months that followed.

“I really thought I had it all figured out,” Marcus said. Marcus realized his safety savings only lasted a couple of months and he didn’t have any family able to help support him. The job market has been challenging, and finding a role that provides financial stability has proven difficult. He left his housing because he couldn’t afford it anymore and had to rely on friends’ couches and spending an occasional night in his car all while looking for affordable housing with a good roommate.

Through these uncertain months, the Central Okanagan Food Bank has been a lifeline. “We used to have a food drive at my old job each year so I knew about the food bank. It’s been a weight off my shoulders for sure,” Marcus said. Marcus says that the food bank gives him space to keep working towards finding a job again. It feels encouraging to have good food even when things are hard.

Marcus is now living with a roommate and working part time while he continues to look for a permanent position. He’s been surprised how little it takes to have your life get very hard very fast. Marcus is grateful for the support of his friends and of resources like COFB and he finds his footing again.