Self Growth

OKAY, COME ON IN. LISA RIVERO LOVES TO JOKE AND LAUGH AS SHE HELPS PEOPLE SHOP IN THE FOOD PANTRY OF THE ANTI-POVERTY ORGANIZATION PACE IN NEW BEDFORD. BUT NOT TOO LONG AGO, TIMES WERE VERY TOUGH FOR HER, TOO. IT STARTED TWO YEARS AGO. I HAD A TRIPLE BYPASS BAD HEART ATTACK. AND WHILE I WAS HEALING, I WAS STARTED SUFFERING FROM SEVERE DEPRESSION LIKE REALLY BAD. THEN ONE DAY, LISA DROVE BY PACE AND SHE DECIDED TO STOP IN AND VOLUNTEER, HOPING IT WOULD HELP HER WHILE HELPING HER COMMUNITY. SHES BEEN HERE EVER SINCE. MY GOAL OTHER THAN MAKING SURE THAT THESE FAMILIES HAVE THE FOOD THAT THEY NEED, IS THAT THEY LEAVE HERE WITH A SMILE ON THEIR FACE. LISA KNOWS WHAT THEYRE GOING THROUGH. SHES NOT ONLY A VOLUNTEER HERE, SHE ALSO RELIES ON THE FOOD PANTRY TO GET BY. I HAVE MY GRANDKIDS IN MY HOUSE EVERY DAY. I GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT IVE GOT STUFF FOR THEM, YOU KNOW? AND THIS HELPS WITH THAT. THE FOOD PANTRY HAS A LIMITED BUDGET, AND A RELATIVELY SMALL STAFF, SO VOLUNTEERS LIKE LISA ARE CRUCIAL FOR STOCKING SHELVES AND HELPING PEOPLE SHOP CHICKEN. LAST YEAR, THIS FOOD PANTRY SERVED 10,000 FOOD INSECURE PEOPLE IN NEW BEDFORD. MANY OF THEM GET NUTRITIOUS FOOD AND A POSITIVE ATTITUDE FROM LISA. SHES DONE A MIRACULOUS JOB. SHES REAL COURTEOUS TO ALL THE CLIENTELE. PEOPLE ARE GETTING TO KNOW HER. WE HAVE IT THAT CLIENTS ARE LOOKING FOR LISA WHEN THEY COME IN. HOWS LISA? WHERES LISA? IF, FOR INSTANCE, SHES NOT HERE FOR, YOU KNOW, PERSONAL REASONS. SO HER DEDICATION AND WORK ETHIC HERE HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED. HEY, AND AS FOR THE DEPRESSION THAT DROVE LISA HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE, SHES LEARNING THAT TAKING CARE OF OTHERS FEEDS HER SOUL. AND FINDING THIS PLACE JUST TURNED MY WHOLE LIFE AROUND COMPLETELY. I AM SO GRATEFUL TO STILL BE ALIVE, AND IM SO GRATEFUL THAT I CAN BE HERE TO HELP OTHERS CONVERT BACK HERE. YES IT IS. REPORTING IN NEW BEDFORD, TODD