New Mexico
Not too long ago, Monica made a bold step to improve the lives of her four teenage kids.
This pharmacy technician was paying $1200 to live in what she thought was a rough neighborhood of San Bernardino. One Saturday evening, a drive-by shooting occurred on her street. She moved her family to Rio Rancho the next day.
Although it has been a few months since the move, Monica has yet to find work at a pharmacy. She pieces together necessary funds by working at a local convenience store as she searches for a new job. While rent in this New Mexican town is more affordable than San Bernardino, she still had to pay for the cost of rebuilding a new life in a new town.
Each new expense was a hardship, and the unforeseen costs came from every direction – such as buying uniforms for her kids after they enrolled in their local public schools. After learning about her monetary predicament, the children’s new school directed Monica to Storehouse West for free uniforms. To Monica’s surprise, the kind staff at this agency of the Roadrunner Food Bank gave her a grocery cart full of food before she left. They have been there for the transplanted family since that first meeting, helping Monica feed her family during this hard time.