It’s hard to believe that amid the abundance of summer in Vermont, families depend on food assistance more than other times of year.

But it’s a common challenge that can happen to any of us. A few years ago, Rebekah ran into some serious health issues and couldn’t work. “I became very sick, very quickly,” she said. “I went from math camp teacher, tutor, full-time mom, full-time college student, to sleeping 20 hours a day and having trouble holding my head up.”

She knew the family needed a little help, so she bravely reached out to a new community – her nearby food shelf.

Rebekah’s daughter Gwen loves painting with her family. They set up paper, paint and pictures on the coffee table in their family room almost daily. “I feel like when I draw, I feel like I can do anything,” she said. “I can do anything and it comes to life.”

Gwen’s positivity and creativity are apparent right away. Less apparent, Gwen is living with a health condition that requires her to have fresh produce, fiber and lots of protein in her diet. But that hasn’t been easy as her family gets back on its feet.

The local food shelf is a critical lifeline. Gwen says, “I love whenever I can have food that is just good for all of us. It’s important for me to have healthy food because of (my health issues), that’s why I mainly eat lots of fruits and vegetables.”