A Story about Margaret

This morning, 83 year old Margaret* came to the front desk of the Mercy Retirement and Care Center to sign up for Brown Bag. She sat in a wheelchair as her companion filled out her entrance paperwork and explained to me that she had just recently broken her hip. “I can’t believe this happened to me,” she…

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Striving for Real Change

“Hey! Hey! Golden State! Take a look at your poverty rate!” On May 8th, our executive director, Krista Lucchesi, traveled with a group of our senior volunteers to Sacramento, California, the state capitol. They went to advocate for an increase in SSI, which stands for “Supplemental Security Income.” According to the Social Security Administration, SSI…

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Food is Medicine

At Mercy Brown Bag, we provide our recipients with 20lb bags of food twice a month. Here is the breakdown of one of our bags.. Fresh Produce and Fruit (53%) Items can include salad mix, potatoes, yams, onions, strawberries, apples, oranges, carrots, cabbage, squash, pears, plums, cauliflower, celery, brussel sprouts and more… Canned/Frozen Foods (12%)…

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Community

One of my favorite parts about working for Mercy Brown Bag is working with all of the amazing volunteers and seeing them work together. There is so much joy, collaboration, and love that fills the sites and makes everyone feel welcome. And it’s fun! I think about places like Eden Issei Terrace that has a fantastic…

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The Reality of Injustice

My time with Mercy Brown Bag has further opened my eyes to the realities of injustice and the ways that the systems in our country leave people out. Being born within a certain context should not make the difference between whether or not I will have enough resources to survive. Taking the time to step…

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