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Lily and her husband tried to teach their three children about doing the right thing- they would all pick up trash at the lake during the summer, bring their too-small clothing to the shelter, and donate $20 each month to the Central Okanagan Food Bank as a family. Lily never imagined that any of these lessons might one day hit so close to home.

A couple of years ago, Lily enrolled in school to get a second degree in the medical field and slightly shift her career. In the midst of her studies, already a challenging time for the family as she took on more and had less time, Lily’s marriage took a turn for the worse. Very suddenly, she found herself a single mother, juggling school, work, parenting, and financial pressures that seemed impossible to manage. “It felt like everything I had worked for collapsed overnight,” she said.

Lily registered her family with COFB. The support she found there was immediate and practical. Hampers provided her family with nutritious food they needed and moreover, she felt welcomed and understood. “It was strange to come to the food bank as someone who was receiving help instead of giving it. But it wasn’t embarrassing,” Lily says. “It seemed normal to be there. I felt a lot of whiplash at my situation but was really happy for the help.”

COFB offered stability when life was chaotic and getting her hamper allowed her to regain a small sense of control. “It’s amazing the mental burden that receiving a big box of groceries can ease.” Lily says. “I didn’t know I’d be learning such a full-circle lesson when I started giving to the food bank.”

Lily hopes that, one day, she and her kids can return to being donors, sharing the support they once received with another family in need.