Suzie Perez, a thirty-six-year-old resident of Covina had no idea that her life would one day change when her son took a drive to Shepherd’s Pantry in the City of Glendora, a food pantry that has been serving Glendora and it’s surrounding cities since 2007. Since losing her employment due to the pandemic, Suzie has struggled to pay her utility bills, and has struggled to find employment. Shepherd’s Pantry not only provided her with food but was given much more. Through her son, Suzie was introduced to the new Supportive Services at Shepherd’s Pantry where she was connected to a Case Manager. Through this Case Manager, Suzie was referred to an agency that assisted paying her utility bill and another agency that assisted her with job placement. Today Suzie is full of hope after going on several job interviews.
Suzie has directly seen the impact what the “Faith Based” Shepherd’s Pantry has done for her and her family. Providing food, resources, and emotional support from a “Faith Based” perspective brings joy while decreasing stress to community members such as Suzie. It is incredible how a need such as food opened up the doors for Suzie to receive other services that she did not know existed. She expresses her gratitude daily to God for Shepherd’s Pantry and all of the services that it provides to the surrounding communities in San Gabriel Valley.
