The three Magallon sisters – María, Ofelia, and Marta – live in adjacent properties on a tidy and peaceful street in Chapala. Decades ago, this area was on the outskirts of town and was used as a dumping ground by the community, so the family was able to buy the land very cheaply and build houses there. The property was divided and shared among the three sisters when their parents died, and since then the suburbs of Chapala have grown around them.

When we pulled up to her house, María was sweeping the sidewalk with a vigor that belied her 77 years. She was glad to see FoodBank Lakeside volunteer Mary with the despensa, as were her two small dogs when María gave them some kibble from the bag supplied by Pet Food Bank Lakeside.

In the small front room of her modest home, María introduced her son, Chavito, 42 years old. He is blind in addition to having Down syndrome. His father didn’t stick around after he was born, leaving María as his primary caregiver and support. Because Chavito has limited mobility and can’t tolerate his mother’s absence for long, she has been unable to work outside the home. She survives mostly on her paltry government pension.

From the despensa, María offered her son some of the boxed milk, which he loves. She observed that although he doesn’t have any ongoing medical expenses, he eats a lot, making her particularly grateful for the despensa.

Maria’s sister Ofelia lives next door and has lost almost all her hearing and sight. Also a FoodBank recipient, Ofelia relies on her other sister, Marta, for many daily living activities, including preparing meals.

Ofelia proudly pointed out the new casita on the property where she lives. The house is tiny, basically a single cinderblock room, but Ofelia is happy with it. The bathroom is in a small building at the back of the lot and cooking is done on an open firewood grill in the yard. The original house was unsafe and had been torn down, but luckily the government stepped in with a program to build houses for people in need.

During the height of Covid when her husband had no work, Marta also was a despensa recipient. Since then, he’s been able to return to work and they no longer need despensas. For Marta and her husband, FoodBank Lakeside was a bridge that helped them survive a temporary hard time, but for her sisters, it’s an ongoing lifeline.