Paving a path to success is not always a straight line, and it doesn’t happen overnight. Along the way, sometimes you have to just stop, take a deep breath, and enjoy the little things.
Molly, a single mom, came to Bluffton Self Help not knowing where else to turn. It had been a few months since she had separated from a difficult domestic violence situation, but she was still working to put the pieces together. With the help of a Bluffton Self Help Client Advocate, Molly secured a new job with a better schedule and pay but was struggling to get caught up with bills. Her Client Advocate signed her up for a Market Card to help save her $100 a week on groceries and hygiene items. They also applied for Emergency Financial Assistance through Bluffton Self Help to pay her past due utility bill.
With her Market Card in hand, Molly walked into The Market to pick up what she thought would be a few cans of food. As the Client Advocate began explaining how The Market works and showing her around, she broke down. When she saw all the milk, eggs, and fresh produce, she knew she would be able to provide healthy, fresh meals for her and her son. While she continued to rebuild her life, Molly shopped at The Market every week, and although she had hard days, she was beginning to get ahead. One Wednesday evening they were both having a bad day. She selected a pack of cupcakes with sprinkles. She and her son went home that evening, sat in the kitchen, and enjoyed the sweet treat. It wasn’t something they would splurge on at the grocery store. Although The Market is a wellness food pantry, Molly said how much just a cupcake meant to her son, it was the first treat they had had in months. It brought a smile to their faces as they laughed and enjoyed the cupcake, for a night they had forgotten about their tough day and all the changes and hard choices they had faced over the past six months.
After nearly a year passed, we saw Molly again, she just stopped in to tell the staff and volunteers how grateful she was to be able to provide for her and her son because of Bluffton Self Help. She had gotten a great job as a nurse, was in a healthy relationship, and was back on her feet. She remembered the hugs from staff and volunteers that Wednesday night and that sweet treat she shared with her son. “It is a night I will never forget, how something that seems so small can have such an impact. Thank you for all the small things like hugs and cupcakes and all the big things you did for me and my son. I am forever grateful for Bluffton Self Help,” says Molly.
Click here for more information about The Market and our Basic Needs Programs.
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