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It was not always easy and it was sometimes embarrassing for Patty Nunez to ask for help.

"I knew that I was getting an education, I could read, write, and work and I was still asking for help,” Patty said. “I felt very embarrassed about it."

But still—Patty pushed forward and each week lined up at her local church for food to feed her family.

She said despite being embarrassed she was grateful to have some place to turn too in her time of need.

"There was just determination all the time....it's not always going to be hard,” Patty told herself.

“I told my kids you have to be determined and stay focused."

It was that determination that got Patty where she is today.

Years after she first stepped foot in her church’s food pantry Patty’s pantry is now full. She is no longer a single mom and she has a full-time job as a teacher.

She said she now makes enough money to put food on the table.

"It was great coming from just having a little bit of money to having a full pay check and being able to buy food, have grocery money, and gas money....things that many people take for granted," Patty said.

Now Patty give back to the same place that helped her all those years.

"When there's people asking for food donations why not share it? There is plenty to go around and we're perfectly capable of helping out.

"Patty told Action 4 News that giving back is the least she could do after all of the help and support the Food bank Rio Grande Valley gave her.

So, she has enlisted the help of her Kindergartners to collect food and toys for the needy. She said it did not take long for her students to fill up a bin full of food and they are halfway to their goal in the toy collection.

Patty will bring both bins to McAllen on Thursday for Action 4’s Share Your Christmas.

Patty’s story is like many Americans who face the same issue---how they’re going to feed their families.

The Food bank Rio Grande Valley told Action 4 News they feed at least 25,000 families a week and that number is much higher than it was five years ago.

Ruby Martinez with the Food bank Rio Grande Valley said 25,000 families is a rough estimate.

She said the need grows every day. Martinez told Action 4 News they no longer just see families who live at or below the poverty line utilizing their facilities---more middle class families have stepped up and asked for help.

"They just got through paying their mortgage, car payment and there's barely enough left for groceries," Martinez said.

Whatever the reason---Martinez said the Food bank’s doors are always open---no questions asked.