Larry was doing okay. Working, paying his bills, getting by. Then one night everything changed. A motorcycle accident broke most of his ribs, punctured both lungs and separated his collarbone. He was unconscious for three days and spent a week in the hospital. He tried to go back to work after the accident, but his injuries made it difficult. So, at the age of 62 he retired.
Larry moved into an apartment complex for limited-income seniors. He received a small check from Social Security, $189 in food stamps and once a month he got a food box through FOOD for Lane County’s Senior Grocery Program (formerly called the Brown Bag Program).
“I’m pretty strapped by the third week of every month. When my food stamps start to run low and choices are thin, Brown Bag comes along in the nick of time. And it’s healthy food. Fresh produce, juices, cheese, some really good canned meat, cereals, things that are nutritious.”
Larry also helped run the Senior Grocery Program where he lived — unloading the FOOD for Lane County truck when it arrived, organizing the food on tables and putting food into cloth grocery bags that residents then took to their individual apartments.
Larry passed away in 2015. We are so grateful that he was willing to share his story with us.