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The Hunger That Shaped My Life: A Journey of Compassion and Culinary Discovery

Feeding the hungry is a cause that lies close to my heart, rooted in my own childhood experiences of poverty and hunger. Growing up, my family faced severe financial hardships when my father struggled to find work. There were countless days when our sustenance consisted of nothing more than water sweetened with a spoonful of sugar. These memories of hunger have left an indelible mark on my life, shaping my values and driving my passion for helping others.

The turning point in our family's struggle came when I was 16, but it was accompanied by tragedy. My father passed away from a massive stroke, leaving us devastated. However, this difficult time also marked a shift in our circumstances. With public assistance and the ability of my siblings and me to work, we finally had the means to put food on the table consistently.

As our situation improved, my mother, drawing from her experience working in a hospital kitchen, instilled in me the importance of maintaining a clean cooking environment. While her recipes tended to be bland due to her professional background, this limitation sparked my curiosity and creativity in the kitchen. I began experimenting with different recipes and ingredients, gradually developing my culinary skills and passion for cooking.

Years later, when I had the joy of cooking alongside my granddaughter, I discovered a new dimension to the culinary arts. She taught me that cooking could be both fun and clean, adding a sense of joy and playfulness to the kitchen that I hadn't experienced before.


Chiming Belle shares a photo of her at 4 years old and her granddaughter Olive Olivia Denbina at 4 years Old.



The scars of childhood hunger, however, manifested in unexpected ways as I grew older. My fear of experiencing starvation again led me to keep an abundance of food around me at all times. This habit, while comforting, resulted in weight gain and ongoing struggles with obesity. It's a personal battle that I continue to face, a reminder of the complex relationship between food, emotion, and past experiences.

Despite these challenges, or perhaps because of them, I've found purpose in volunteering to feed children in need. This mission has become a family tradition, bringing us together in service of others. By helping to alleviate hunger in my community, I not only honor my own past but also work towards ensuring that fewer children experience the pain of hunger that I once knew.


Chiming Belle's Granddaughter Olive Olivia Denbina Volunteering to pack meals for the Hungry along with her daughter
Chiming Belle's Granddaughter Volunteering to Pack Food for the Hungry



My journey from a hungry child to a passionate advocate for feeding the hungry has been one of growth, learning, and healing. Through it all, food has remained a central theme – a source of pain in my early years, a creative outlet in my adulthood, and now a means of giving back to my community. As I continue this journey, I remain committed to using my experiences and love for cooking to make a positive impact on the lives of others, one meal at a time.