‘Fighting for what is right’
Woman uses her experience dealing with rising cost of living to help others who are struggling
It was Mother’s Day, and Jeanette’s husband had a surprise in store for her dinner.
That night, dinner was to be some steaks, which is more of a treat than it usually is these days.
Jeanette (not her real name) was worth it, according to her husband, but it was still more than they could afford.
“I can't afford milk anymore in the house, then there's the meat unless it's on special. I won't buy it,” she said.
Jeanette is a member of Food First NL’S Lived and Living Experience Advocacy Group (LLEAG) and has worked with other people in the community as they work through their own experiences.
She shares her experiences struggling with food insecurity while juggling living on social assistance and raising three children.
As a member of LLEAG, Jeanette and the rest of the committee are given areas of the food-security puzzle.
For her, the areas she’s covering are institutional food, such as school lunches, and income support benefits and what can be done to improve them.
“We are a bunch of women hired by Food First NL to give a perspective of basically people who have lived through these experiences with food insecurity and whatnot,” said Jeanette.
HER EXPERIENCE
Jeanette’s experience is 30 years of dealing with food challenges, starting with her time in Labrador before moving to the metro region so her first two children could be closer to the Janeway hospital.
“I've had three children, and raising kids on income support is hard,” she said.
“You depend a lot on child tax and food banks and sometimes the help from others.”
It was easier in Labrador because they had family they could turn to when things were rough. Since moving away, however, her family has had to use food banks and soup kitchens, stretching every dollar they have for as long as they can.
BUS FREEDOM
Since moving from Labrador, Jeanette and her family have lived in Conception Bay South, Mount Pearl and St. John’s, where they currently reside.
Each of her previous stops was close to a grocery store and food banks where she could make an easy trip to get what the family needed.
In Mount Pearl, they used public transportation, and still do now, to help alleviate any transportation problems because the family doesn’t own a car.
Over time, a bus pass became a passport to freedom.
“I can hop on the bus to my daughter. I can go up to Walmart and get some groceries. I can go down to Dominion. I can go to the park,” said Jeanette.
“In December, on Tibbs Eve, me and her do our annual metro bus lights tour and we just go bus hopping.”
MAKING THINGS WORK
Still, the high cost of food – which has only gotten higher in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic – has meant she’s had to get creative to make sure every dollar is well spent.
That might mean picking up prepackaged bags of foods like chicken nuggets, egg rolls and meatballs, among other items, from various grocery chains because they are cheaper.
“The Wal-mart ones have broccoli-stuffed chicken breast and actual chicken, like these precut chicken and sausages and stuff like that,” said Jeanette.
“That's very helpful. That's my go-to. Last night, I had no ground meat. I took the casings off the sausages I had here from Walmart and I went and ground that up and used it for spaghetti sauce. Highly recommend.”
HELPING HAND
It has also meant knowing where and what days places like the Salvation Army or Stella’s Circle are offering free hot meals to people.
Jeanette’s daughter avails of the school lunch program as much as she can.
“I really don't know how I would be able to afford lunches, to be honest with you. That's how bad it's getting,” said Jeanette.
Still, manoeuvring as prices go higher becomes a little bit harder when dietary restrictions must be considered.
Her husband can’t eat fish and her daughter has a certain food aversion.
“There are certain things I pick up at Wal-mart and certain things I pick up at Dominion,” said Jeanette. “So, I alternate trips and I try to buy a little extra if I can afford it.”
HELPING OTHERS
Jeanette says things haven’t been easy, but she and her family are making it work as best they can.
Now, she is using all her experience to help others who are struggling.
“I've been advocating for my kids since they've been toddlers. So, the advocacy part and fighting for what is right, I've been doing this for quite a few years, especially when it comes to getting the right resources,” she said.