Trish's Story

Happiness is a choice. And that’s the choice Trish and Jake Hill make for themselves and their family every day.
“When you’ve experienced sorrow, suffering and pain, happiness is more than smiles and laughs. It’s comfort, it’s stability, it’s being a whole individual,” said Jake. “I think that’s the most important thing you can achieve in your life because with happiness, everything else will fall into place.
Jake and Trish have found that happiness on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, where they live with their children as members of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe.
“Seeing my children happy, that’s what brings happiness to me,” Trish said. “Providing a good life for them.”
Both parents work full-time on the reservation to provide that good life for their children. But, they’ve experienced their share of challenges.
“Feeding our kids hasn’t always been easy,” Jake said. “When you’re hit financially, you’re just without and there’s nothing more scary than when you’ve got to figure out how to feed your kids.”
The couple is proud of the strength it’s taken to work through those difficult times. With Jake previously out of work, the family bravely turned to a food pantry on the reservation to help make ends meet.
“You figure out how to make the meals stretch,” Trish said. “One day we’ll make a big meal, then have leftovers for dinner the next day, and then have it for lunch the next.”
Even with jobs now, affording food can still be challenging for the family – especially culturally appropriate food like buffalo, which Trish recently received at the pantry.
“To me, the buffalo meat is like gold,” Trish said. “I’ll cook it as a meatloaf, and we’ll have green bell peppers, onions, crackers and eggs.” 
Still, Jake, Trish and their family choose happiness. And not just for themselves – for others too. They recently agreed to foster a 5-month-old girl, and Jake volunteers at the food distribution where the family also receives groceries.
“I was raised by my grandparents,” Jake said. “And that was something they [taught] – to provide for others if you can. Trish and I have always been really keen on trying to help all the time.” 
“We haven’t celebrated Christmas the last few years because it’s been financially too hard, but this year we were able to,” Trish said.
“We were able to celebrate. We try to teach our children to be thankful for everything,” Trish said.
“The food distribution in December helped tremendously. The holidays are difficult financially. It’s tough for everyone because there’s bills, gifts. The meals provided food for our family. I’m thankful for that,” said Trish.