Jessie never imagined she would be raising Mikayla and Alex on her own. Life felt steady. There was food on the table. There were plans for the future. They were doing okay.
Then everything changed.
After the girls’ dad was diagnosed with cancer, he had to stop working. Suddenly, Jessie was navigating hospital appointments and figuring out how to stretch every dollar. When he passed away, the emotional loss was devastating, and the financial strain became immediate and overwhelming.
Jessie pays $1,500 a month in rent. Her income barely covers it. After rent, hydro, and basic bills, she’s left with about $300 a month to feed herself and her two growing children.
“It’s terrifying,” she says honestly. “You’re constantly doing the math in your head.”
Jessie never asked for help. But one day, Mikayla and Alex started coming home from school with backpacks filled with food.
“It helped beyond belief,” she says. “It was a way to make sure the kids always had what they needed when I might not have been able to give it to them. With everything going on, just knowing I don’t have to worry about snacks for school or food for the weekend is a huge weight off my shoulders. It’s comfort. It’s security.”
The bags arrive discreetly through the girls’ school. There’s no spotlight. No stigma. Just quiet support.
“They run from the bus to the house and tear the bags open to see what’s inside. If there’s macaroni cups or granola bars, they’re thrilled.”
That excitement means something to Jessie. “It tells me they don’t have to be afraid of running out. Before, there was always that worry.”
She knows food is just one piece of the puzzle, but it’s a critical one. “You can’t learn on an empty stomach,” she says. “You can’t focus.”
Because of Backpack Buddies, Mikayla and Alex can show up at school ready to learn. They can grieve without also carrying the weight of hunger. They can be kids.
And Jessie can breathe just a little easier.
