Yushonna is a college sophomore majoring in political science. Outside of her studies, she’s a devoted and loving aunt who spends her time helping care of her nephews and nieces.

When speaking about what family means to her, Yushonna can’t help but express her gratitude for them.

“They’ve always been there for me,” she shared.

In their home, seven family members live under one roof, including Yushonna, her mother, her sister and her sister’s four children. When Winter Storm Fern hit Northeast Louisiana, their home lost power for an entire week.

With extreme cold temperatures and no electricity, her family had to get creative. They layered up in extra clothes and blankets to stay warm at night. To heat up food, they wrapped it in tin foil and warmed it over a candle. As the days added up, much of their refrigerated food spoiled.

Yushonna turned to the Food Bank and visited our Disaster Relief Distribution in West Monroe, where she received groceries to help feed her family during their recovery.

“Being able to have a source of help from the Food Bank is such a blessing,” Yushonna said. “There’s a lot of people who take time out of their daily routines and lives, and I’m pretty sure I speak for everyone when I say that we’re truly grateful.”