SERGIO’S STORY
My name is Sergio, I’m from Columbia but I grew up in Mississauga. It’s hard when you first come to a new country and the food bank really helped my family. There were people that would welcome you and they didn’t make you feel like you should be ashamed for asking for help, it was always a very welcoming environment.
For the first few years around Christmas time, we would get gifts from Eden Food for Change. One of our first toys was a soccer ball because my brother and I loved to play a lot of soccer when we were very little. Eden Food for Change was always a super friendly place. My parents would pick out the food and then the volunteers would always help us pack it and bring it to the bus stop Once we had a car, they would help us bring it into the car so we could make our way. It was always a welcoming and very nice environment.
I own a construction company now and just bought a home in December. My family is doing very well, we couldn’t be more blessed and are super thankful. This past Christmas, I was able to make a donation of 50 turkeys just to give back to the food bank. The very place that once helped us. I wanted to give back to them so that we could help more people in our community.
Once you receive help and you made it out to the other end, it’s good to give back because you never know whose life you are going to impact. I don’t know if my family would be in the same spot right now if we never had the first moments of being helped at the food bank when arriving in Canada.
Thank you Sergio for sharing your touching journey with us!