January, a Quest client, is a testament to resilience in the face of a disease nearly half of us will face – cancer.
Her career as a supervisor for a large retail chain was cut short by a life-changing cancer diagnosis when she was just 40. Ten years on, she is happily cancer-free, but her intensive medical treatment left her unable to work.
January is not alone. 1 in 4 people referred to Quest face employment barriers due to disability.
Her husband was also forced to stop working for medical reasons. In a short period, they plummeted from a household with two good incomes to surviving on disability assistance. With a teenage daughter and several beloved dogs relying on them, January’s family now survives on a food budget of just $200 a month after rent and bills are paid.
Since being referred by Strathcona Community Centre, Quest has become a critical lifeline for January – particularly for essentials like menstrual products, pet food, and coffee. The ability to buy basics like toilet paper and paper towels in small packs at Quest, to fit her tight weekly budget, is also indispensable and only possible thanks to your donations.
She uses many strategies to make ends meet, from canning and pickling fresh produce she buys at Quest, to boiling eggs on the day of purchase so they will last longer. When she feels well enough, she visits Quest’s Hastings market daily to buy meat and dairy, products that are always in high demand and go quickly!
Give today, and you can provide this critical lifeline for others like January.
Quest’s recognition as a 2025 Top Vancouver Impact Charity means you can give knowing that every dollar you donate makes a difference: helping a family not just survive but maintain their dignity as they navigate unimaginable challenges.
10,000+ people in Metro Vancouver rely on Quest to meet their grocery needs. Your gift gives them dignity in the face of food insecurity.
