Hello, my name is Rosa. My child goes to Audubon Middle School. I want to share some thoughts about the WISH program and Project Vendigo. When WISH came to the school and installed the vending machine with free snacks, it was a great relief. I live in Los Angeles and belong to a very low-income population. Additionally, I do not have full U.S. citizenship. Life is very hard for me and my family. Sometimes we can't provide breakfast for my kids because our food stamps run out. The vending machine allows my child to arrive at school and have breakfast that we couldn't afford. This is a great thing for us. My kids can have healthy breakfast snacks when they are in school. I also saw the WISH paper with information about social services and housing assistance. At the time, we were getting evicted from our unit, and we needed help. WISH helped us get legal assistance and find a new place to live in Los Angeles. My other son is autistic, and WISH helped us get him treatment so he can live better. I really think WISH is amazing, and I hope they stay forever.

My name is Peter Fonseca. I am 54 years old, a widower of four years, and a cancer patient. I never knew of any organizations like WISH until I was introduced to them. They have helped me tremendously in getting my life back in order. They have guided me on what to do to get back on track with life and have eased my mind significantly. Their assistance with housing and introducing me to various programs has helped me become a better person and focus on rebuilding my life. I was literally living on the streets while battling cancer and undergoing chemotherapy. That was an incredibly tough time, and it still is, but thanks to the WISH program, I now have a place to stay and a roof over my head. This has brought me great peace of mind as I continue to deal with cancer. They also provided me with counseling to help my mindset. I wish I had known about this wonderful organization when I first started experiencing the horrors of being homeless while battling cancer and undergoing chemo. Thanks to the WISH organization, I see myself returning to where I once was in life, and they have given me a lot of hope and motivation. My name is Peter Fonseca, and I want to thank the WISH organization for all you have done for me, for guiding me, and for continuing to provide me with support.

When I met Malik, the CEO of WISH, we shared life stories, and I'll tell you, his story and what he is doing now is absolutely phenomenal. Having been homeless for almost half of his life, he now provides essential services that truly make a difference. I am so happy to have WISH leading our community center, "Love The City Center," with their social services, housing services, and community services.

The vending machine actually offers students snacks they would not normally choose. If students went to the store, they would choose hot Cheetos 99% of the time. Over time, I can see the vending machine changing their habits and mindset.

You know I can really appreciate the idea of providing healthier snacks and essentials for all. Sometimes that one person rich, poor, big, small can just need something to get them by and Vendigo shows that compassion

I love that there’s an option for healthier foods in vending machines, especially in low income communities. Growing up, those options weren’t available and we resorted to chips and candy! It makes me happy to see that our children have healthier options.

The concept of free vending machines in low income communities is a great idea and will benefit those who are struggling to have enough nutritious food to eat and bear minimum essentials. Children need to be properly fed in order to learn and thrive in the classroom.