The artist who needed food

Today, Rick Beerhorst is a full-time, successful fine artist. His works sell for thousands of dollars in galleries nationwide. But he well remembers standing in line with his bride at a local food pantry.

“I remember thinking, ‘Wait! We don’t belong here! I have a master’s degree from a Big 10 university!’” he says. “And I was afraid volunteers from our church would see us.”

But as he stood there, Rick realized he had much in common with others around him. “Like many people, we had been comforting ourselves with the idea that we were different. But looking around, we realized, at that moment, we were all poor together. We were neighbors suddenly hit by hard times. And I remember thinking, ‘Never mind my master’s degree. My real education is just beginning.’”

Today Rick, his wife Brenda and their children are some of the Food Bank’s most active supporters. He looks back on his time in the food pantry line as a blessing. “Yes, we received food that day but, even more, we received wisdom. And that is truly precious and hard to find.”