Teresa is a veteran who proudly describes herself as a “60s peace-loving hippie.” A mother of four and grandmother to 21 grandchildren, she brings humor and heart to conversations.

“The only part of the Bible my children listened to was to be fruitful and multiply,” she joked.

When Winter Storm Fern swept through Northeast Louisiana, Teresa and her roommate lost power for 10 days. Like many of our neighbors, they watched helplessly as the food in their refrigerator and freezer spoiled. With no electricity and freezing temperatures, Teresa retreated to the room with a fire place.

When we met Teresa, she was waiting in line at the Food Bank’s Disaster Relief Food Distribution in Richland Parish.

Teresa lives on a low-fixed income, which means there isn’t much room in her budget for unexpected disasters. Replacing a week’s worth of groceries isn’t possible without help. Teresa was able to get that help at the Richland Parish Disaster Relief Distribution, where she received groceries such as chicken, potatoes, sweet potato fries, onions and a box of nonperishable foods.

For Teresa, the support means more than just meals. It means stability, health and peace of mind.

“I don’t know what I would do without the Food Bank,” Teresa said.