Facing Hunger in Manhattan, Kansas
A Facing Project
There is no such thing as a normal day at the Breadbasket. I get up in the morning, get my daughter ready, and bring her to daycare and then I come to work. I spend the first hour working with the intern, talking about what happened yesterday, what happened over the weekend, and what kind […]
My mom was a single parent. Toys were something we deserved, like the organ I always wanted. I wanted it so bad. I wanted one because my friends had them. My mom had seven kids and should have been on services. But her thing was if you’re able-bodied, you should work. You work. All she […]
My real parents were abusive, so when I was nine-months -old I was sent to foster care. We were there because my five-year-old sister was in a body cast because my dad tried to take a metal rod through her. During that time I was going in and out of foster care. I’ve had people […]
I never expected to end up in Manhattan, Kansas, especially coming from a place like New Jersey. My daughter was in her early twenties, married, with a beautiful baby and a brand new pit bull. Then, she found out her husband was going to be deployed. She was taking classes and set to start a […]
Moving to America has brought about many changes in my life. I’ve had to leave a lot of things behind—a language, a fiancé, family and friends, and a career. My English is adequate, but I still struggle with finding the correct word occasionally. The only family I live with now are my daughter and my […]
Hope is easy to find when you’re young. Open the door and walk on through. Place your hope in what you can achieve. Experience life, go to college, live your dreams. Refuse to get sick. Evade the cancer that comes for your body at twenty-two. Medical bills will bury you. It, this disease, these […]
In January, my wife, newborn son, and I came to Manhattan, Kansas from Mexico. We got here thinking we could survive on the money I had saved up, but that was a big mistake on my part. There is a guideline on the K-State website that shows the cost of living, but when I got […]
Jobs are hard to come by; I’m still currently looking. I’ve worked at Wendy’s, a hotel, and have done some catering gigs, but nothing ever long term. It’s hard when nobody will hire you because you’re a liability to the company. It is difficult for me to work throughout the day when my body just […]
I just got a job today so thank God for that. But that leaves me about a month without any money. I’m a single mom with four kids, three boys and one girl. We’re all spread out across the country. I haven’t even gotten to meet one of my grandkids yet because my kids and […]
I have always considered myself to be an independent woman. I don’t like to have to depend on nobody. I may ask for something and if you don’t want to give it to me then I’m not going to debate about it. I have always prided myself upon being an independent working woman, but sometimes […]