Meeting More Than Tangible Needs: Peggy.

“I started using the food pantry on a regular basis, and that has been such a blessing,” Peggy said. “It stretches my food dollar and frees me up to pay other bills because things are really tight, especially these days.”

Peggy, an active volunteer at FROM, has served in nearly every area of the organization over the last 30 years—long before FROM was officially FROM. Although she qualified for FROM programs, she didn’t use them for a long time. It was a conversation several years ago with a fellow volunteer that changed her mind.

“She encouraged me, saying, ‘No, you qualify, so let us help you,’” Peggy said. “There was so much acceptance there.”

Today, the food programs help her do what she needs to do—like keep and maintain her home. Her house, which once belonged to her parents, has become a sanctuary, surrounded by peaceful woods and a river. She maintains a walking path she uses throughout the year and tends a flower garden filled with perennials.

Her experience volunteering and being involved at FROM over the past three decades, alongside a wide variety of people and learning new skills, has helped her grow personally as well. She has developed her communication skills and feels more confident expressing herself.

“I feel like I’ve had the opportunity to work with good people who have been accepting and willing to help me learn and grow along the way,” she said. “And that has been tremendous.”