11/02/2025
Most of you won’t share this post, and that’s okay. But I hope you’ll read it.
There have been a lot of judgmental posts lately about people on welfare whose benefits have been suspended. I know from experience that most of the families relying on assistance are just trying to get by.
Years ago, I depended on food stamps myself. I lived in low-income housing surrounded by single moms, students, and families doing their best. We didn’t have much, but we had each other. Kids ran wild in the courtyard, birthdays were celebrated together, movie nights happened on the lawn, and moms shared coffee while keeping an eye on the kids. It wasn’t perfect, but it was full of love and community.
Food stamps gave us the breathing room to finish school, care for our kids, and build a better future. Most of the families I knew were holding everything together, doing their best every single day.
I photographed those moments trying to capture the laughter, resilience, and small joys that people rarely see when they talk about “the poor.”
This story isn’t about statistics. It’s about real people, the faces behind the headlines, and the village that raised each other when times were hard. Sometimes needing help isn’t a weakness — it’s the start of something strong.
