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Evelyn’s Story
“That bag of rice, that tin of beans — that can be life-changing for people.”
Evelyn and her husband stepped into retirement expecting quieter days, but life had other plans. When their daughter faced a mental health crisis, they didn’t hesitate – they opened their hearts and homes to their two grandchildren, embracing full-time caregiving with quiet courage. In their seventies they swapped leisurely mornings for school runs, packed lunches, and late-night homework sessions. They stretched every dollar, but it wasn’t enough. Evelyn’s husband went back to work, well into his seventies, not because he wanted to, but because his family needed him to. His steady income became a lifeline, helping to support not only their modest needs, but also their daughter’s healing, and the daily demands of raising two growing teenagers.
Evelyn shares, “My husband is still working because our daughter had a mental health crisis and we’ve been looking after her and raising her children to get them through school. And it’s been very difficult as we get older, my husband still has to work full time to afford everything.”
Most afternoons the house is busy. “They come home from school and go straight to the fridge!” says Evelyn. The fridge empties in a single sitting; their eldest grandson is already six foot with an appetite of a growing boy. Evelyn is determined to give her grandchildren access to the healthy, nutritious food she knows they need to grow. But feeding a household that suddenly grew in size comes at a cost, and the prices at the grocery store continue to increase.
Evelyn recycles water, grows vegetables, cooks everything from scratch and refuses takeaways, because every dollar must stretch further than it should. “You need a certain amount of food to survive, and once we’ve got that, we’re happy. We don’t go out and we don’t have new clothes or fancy things. As long as the kids have got food, decent meals and they’ve got a good home.”
But the pressure is relentless. Some nights Evelyn calculates meals down to the last cent and still finds the numbers don’t add up. Her husband is exhausted from full-time work even though he should be enjoying retirement. They both carry fatigue and worry about whether they can keep giving their grandchildren the stability they need.
A Foodbank Queensland Community Partner pantry became more than food; it became a lifeline. “The food pantry opens at eight o’clock. I got there this morning at half past seven and there was a big line in front of me and behind me.”
The queue is full of familiar faces who share the same quiet relief. “We see each other and talk every time we are there, and it’s always the same. People say, ‘This is such a blessing.’”
The volunteers and organisers at the Foodbank Queensland Community Partner greet people with steady, familiar care. Evelyn shares “They know you by name, and they chat and offer to help. It’s dignity and kindness. It really is a great help.”
Nutritious food is more than convenience for Evelyn, it’s essential to growing bodies and clear minds. Fresh protein, vegetables, fruit and pantry staples mean the grandchildren get the nutrients they need for school, sport and steady growth. The variety surprises her: “This morning, I got some chicken, and some vegetables. And I got milk, oranges and all sorts of odds and ends. There are so many things you can make from that. You put a bit of effort in, and you’ve got beautiful meals.”
Food from the pantry lets Evelyn put decent, nutritious meals on the table without having to explain or shrink from the truth of their circumstances. It means her husband can keep working without the constant fear that one unexpected expense will force them into impossible choices.
It means Evelyn can keep her promise to her grandchildren: clean clothes, warm meals, and a home that feels safe. “If I was able to talk to someone who donates to Foodbank, I would want them to have a look and see what good they’re doing for people. See what a help it is to people. What they’re doing is so important to other people.”
Evelyn is proud of the teenagers she helps raise – their achievements at school, their steady behavior and the way they are growing into responsible young people.
She does not ask for sympathy, but simply understanding. She wants people to look closely at who’s in the pantry line: grandparents, parents and neighbours. They are quietly showing up, doing everything they can to keep their families fed, safe and together.
Thanks to Foodbank Queensland’s support, Evelyn can put food on the table each week. What she brings home is more than pantry staples and fresh produce – it’s a shared meal, a warm conversation, and a sense of stability for her grandchildren. Each dinner with her grandchildren is a moment of connection that helps hold her family together.