12 News is proudly partnering with United Food Bank to host the Summer of a Million Meals. One project near and dear to those at the facility is a program called "Help Yourself."
This project is one that's based on meeting the needs of hungry families right here in the Valley, but it goes beyond filling their bellies.
In Mesa at United Food Bank, staff members like Twanna Anderson want clients to get their fill.
“By the time you leave here, for 20 bucks you can probably feed a family of four for a week,” she said.
She says that includes big ticket items like meats and produce, plus bonus items like baked goods, to help families like Jared's.
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“Our family, sometimes we don't have enough money to buy stuff from the store and this place has some of that stuff for what we can afford,” Jared said.
Anderson says, the Help Yourself program is different in that they try to curb customer's needs and give them proper resources.
“As much as we love the people that we see every week, it's really important to us to give them the opportunity to improve their situations,” she said.
The facility sees roughly 300 people a week who can come in and get those 15- to 20-pound grab bags for a fraction of the price.
“Not everyone just wants free food some people just need help,” Anderson said.
Help Yourself has been around for a number of years and is made possible by volunteers within the Mesa community.
The program is open to the public every Friday from 8-11 a.m.
For more information, visit United Food Bank's website.