Jen’s Story: A Grandmother’s Love

First as a mother, then as a grandmother, Jen always made sure her family had what they needed. Ever-present and reliable, Jen has guided her family through some of its roughest patches. When her husband became disabled and unable to work, Jen became his caretaker.

After her first grandchild was born, Jen left work to care for her while the child’s parents worked. One of Jen’s own children had been abused in daycare, and she was determined that nothing similar would ever happen to another child she loved.

Today, Jen is “a full-time grandma,” helping raise her grandchildren.

“It brings me a lot of joy to have my grandchildren in my house, because my children are all gone,” Jen says. “They bring happiness to my home.”

Jen’s home is a place of happiness for them, too. Whether they need another player for a board game, paper and crayons for an afternoon of coloring, or a buddy to watch a movie with, they know their grandma will be there.

But she never wants them to know that sometimes, beneath the happiness she brings to their childhood, there are challenges. With only her husband’s disability payments, Jen sometimes worries about whether she’ll be able to provide for her grandkids:

“They do sometimes ask for stuff I don’t have, but at least I have cereal. I at least know I won’t put them to bed without food.”

To the children, the occasional cereal-for-dinner night might seem like one more fun, novel treat from Grandma. For Jen, they’re a reminder of the difficult choices she has to make when money is tight and the pantry is running low.

At first, Jen struggled to reach out. She was aware of the stigma surrounding food pantries, and the assumptions made about the people who use them. Jen’s love for her grandchildren was what finally gave her the courage to ask for help.

“No children should go hungry,” Jen says. “They depend on adults; they depend on organizations.”

Organizations like Feed the Children exist because we share Jen’s belief that no child should go to bed hungry. When she reached out to a local Feed the Children partner, she found more than food. Jen found a community: caring, supportive people who showed up for her and her grandchildren and offered help without judgement.

“I have been blessed,” Jen says. “It’s a wonderful feeling. I’m not alone. I know I won’t ever be alone. That’s my community.”

To Jen, the support she receives is about more than a stocked pantry. It brings peace of mind and the reassurance that her grandchildren can focus on being kids while she focuses on what she loves most: encouraging them, caring for them, and filling her home with happiness. When challenges arise, she knows she doesn’t have to face them alone.