Lovell Woman, Mary Phillips, To Speak About Hunger... Many Americans, particularly senior citizens go hungery because they are beyond the income threshhold to recieve assistance.

MARY CELESTE PHILLIPS, 70, of Lovell, will speak on the challenges of eating on a limited food budget at the Empty Bowl Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser, which will be held at the Lake Region Vocational Technology School on Sept. 17.. (Photo courtesy of Mary Phillips)

By Dawn De Busk
Staff Writer

LOVELL — Mary Phillips and her husband cannot afford to eat meat very often. That source of protein is not always included in the budget.

“We get meat every two weeks. This month, I bought a big package of ground beef and one slab of fish. I made as many hamburger patties as I could, and I froze them. I cut the fish into serving sizes,” she said...Mary and her husband Tom were both born in 1945 and turned 70 years old this year. Their combined sources of gross income prohibit them from receiving any assistance from the state — not food stamps, not heating assistance. Yet, their income is not sufficient to cover the monthly expenses of rent, heat, utilities, and keeping their vehicle legal as well as groceries.

Phillips has been turned down by state social services so many times, she has quit asking. She has quit filling out applications that get denied.

MORE:
 http://www.bridgton.com/hunger-whispers-to-mary-lovell-woman-to-be-voice-for-seniors-food-insecurity/