Vanessa looks tired.

After decades of working with mentally ill patients in a group home, she was forced into early retirement due to health issues. Add the stress of tight finances, and it takes a toll.

Vanessa lives alone in at the Classen Senior Center, with Social Security as her only income. She gets SNAP benefits, but they were recently reduced, even while grocery prices remained high. By the end of the month, there’s not much left.

That’s why Vanessa is grateful that the Regional Food Bank operates the Food Connection Senior Pantry on the first floor of her facility. It’s a breath of fresh air — and fresh produce — for Vanessa and the center’s other 100 residents.

“I’m just about out of food,” she says as she pushes a cart around the small store, stocking up on meat, cheese, canned goods and fresh vegetables. “I love that this is here.”

The Food Connection is one of 10 planned pantries at senior sites run by the Oklahoma City Housing Authority. The pantries, operated and stocked by the Regional Food Bank, help reduce food insecurity for thousands of low-income seniors.

They’re especially helpful for residents with limited mobility or lack of transportation. (Vanessa has to pay for a cab when she goes to an off-site grocery store.)

And they’re a great gathering place for residents to talk about the latest happenings.

Vanessa has a message for supporters like you.

“I love y’all,” she says. “We worked real hard all our lives, and the finances don’t add up all the time. Thank you for helping us, because we definitely need you.”

Thank you for caring for your senior neighbors like Vanessa!

Next Story: Meet an 80-Year-Old Volunteer Who Just Can’t Quit