b'Together, we are making a difference. JohnShiv Hanson, Massachusetts Boston, MassachusettsJohn worked his entire life building diesel Shiv emigrated from Nepal to America five engines in his hometown of Hanson. years ago, as a teenager, alone, unable to Recently retired, he and his wife live on aspeak any English. While working at a gas fixed income. When his wife got sick aboutstation in Fall River to make ends meet, three years ago, the medical bills started pilinga faculty member from nearby Bristol up and the cupboards started emptying. Community College (BCC) told him about English classes offered at the school.We were getting tight with bills and the co-pays were killing us, John said. SometimesAt BCC, Shiv learned about GBFBs its a bad month and were looking at eachon-campus Mobile Market, which serves other across the table with a can of soup infree, healthy food to students andthe middle.community members every month. John started going to the Hanson Food The market helped me a lot. It gave me Pantry, which gets over two-thirds of its fooda weeks worth of food, sometimes more, from The Greater Boston Food Bank. Shiv said. Its hard to be a full-timestudent and save money because you The first time I came here I was amazed athave to buy books, clothes, pay rent.what we get and how generous people are, John said. Shiv graduated from BCC in 2018 and received a scholarship to Northeastern He said the pantry helps him and his wifeUniversity, where he is now pursuing maintain a healthy diet and keeps them froma bachelors degree in chemicalmaking the impossible decision betweenengineering. He credits BCC andpaying their bills and buying food, especiallyGBFB with helping him succeed.during the winter. Someday I want to open my ownThey give us turkeys and all the stuff thatbusiness and do something to helpgoes with it during the holidays, he said.society here in the United States andThey really make Thanksgiving for a lot ofback in Nepal too, he said.people. THE GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK 2019 ANNUAL REPORT 12'