They had never asked us for help before
They Had Never Needed Help Before
There is something humbling about asking for help for the first time.
Maybe you have always been the one who figured things out. You stretched every dollar, went without when you had to, and somehow kept food on the table. Then one unexpected expense, one missed paycheck, or one difficult month changed everything.
Suddenly, you are the one who needs help.
From August 1 through August 18, Dallas High Shoals Christian Social Ministry was open for food assistance for only five service days—a total of just 15 hours.
During those 15 hours, we provided food assistance to 94 families who had never received food from our ministry before.
Not 94 visits.
Not the same households returning again.
These were 94 completely new families asking us for food assistance for the very first time.
That means that for approximately every 10 minutes our food program was open, another new family needed help putting food on the table.
Just stop and think about that for a moment.
Every 10 minutes, another family.
Every 10 minutes, someone who may have never imagined needing a food pantry.
Every 10 minutes, another parent, senior, or neighbor quietly admitting, “I can’t do this by myself right now.”
And those 94 families represent new food-assistance clients only. They do not include returning families or anyone receiving help through our utility, medication, senior, or homeless program.
The need in our community is growing. Families who have worked, budgeted, sacrificed, and always found a way are facing circumstances they never expected. They are not strangers from somewhere else. They are our neighbors. Their children attend our schools. They shop in the same stores, drive the same roads, and sit beside us in church.
We may not know every circumstance that led them to us, but we do know what happened when they asked for help: our community made it possible for us to say yes.
Because someone donated food, there was something to place in their hands.
Because someone gave financially, our shelves could be restocked.
Because volunteers gave their time, food was packed and ready.
Because people like you care, 94 families did not have to face that difficult moment alone.
Behind every number is a real household. A real table. A real family trying to make it through a hard season with dignity.
But as the number of new families continues to grow, so does the amount of food required to serve them.
Today, we are asking you to help us remain ready for the next family—the family that has never needed help before, but may need us tomorrow.
Please consider making a donation, hosting a food drive, or sharing our story with others. Every can, every box, every bag of food, and every dollar makes a difference.
Together, we can make sure that when the next family asks, “Can you help us?” our answer can still be:
Yes. We can.