Case Study – Stephanie

Stephanie lives with her young son and works on a zero hours contract. Her hours are constantly changed and she has no guarantee of earned income from one week to the next. Stephanie’s son has multiple food intolerances which are being investigated and which means that Stephanie has to spend most of her income buying food which her son can eat without putting his health at risk.

Stephanie knows how to budget and was ‘just about managing’ until her hours were reduced further and she had to bear the costs of hospital transport to take her son to appointments. She reluctantly turned to Maundy. We reassured her that she was doing everything she possibly could for her son and we asked her to select the food she was able to use including milk substitutes and other items that were appropriate for her child.

Stephanie has been back to us several times when her income has fallen but she is now getting more hours and can just about manage again. Her son is thriving.

Stephanie said “I don’t know what I would have done without this support. I was in a constant panic as I couldn’t find a way to keep my child fed and healthy. I don’t think people know what’s it like.”