When Kendra arrived at Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin (ASMCA) to deliver her baby, she was physically and emotionally depleted—carrying the weight of complex family struggles and permanent housing challenges. But when her daughter, Amala, was born, everything changed.
Walking through the hospital doors, she found something she didn’t expect: care without condition.
Ascension Seton gave her a safe place to stay for a full week after delivery. They provided all the newborn essentials—diapers, a car seat, a pack-and-play. Even after she left the hospital, the support kept coming.
Just when she thought she’d have to figure out the next chapter alone, something new arrived: food boxes. For eight weeks, Food is the Best Medicine (FBM) delivered prepared meals, meal kits, fresh produce, and pantry staples to where Kendra was staying.
At first, it was just a practical relief. “I was exhausted. Breastfeeding. Recovering. I didn’t have the energy to cook,” Kendra said. “But the meals? They helped so much. Especially that third week box with the Mediterranean chicken and tilapia—it was exactly what my body needed to heal and to continue to breastfeed.”
Over time, those meals became something more.
“They changed the way I eat. The way I think about food. I had a whole paradigm shift.”
Suddenly, mealtime became family time. Her teenage son—who used to skip meals—began experimenting in the kitchen, watching Gordon Ramsay, mixing spices, and recreating recipes.
“Cooking became his thing,” Kendra said.
Together, they discovered new flavors, tried unfamiliar foods, and unearthed a joy that had once felt unreachable. “Now, we even get Hello Fresh. We want to cook. We look forward to going to the store and trying new things.”
But it wasn’t just their taste buds that evolved—it was their perspective.
“This whole experience changed my life. When I left Ascension Seton, something in me shifted. Now, it doesn’t feel like I meet a stranger.”
Kendra moved to Austin for a fresh start, leaving behind a painful past. What she found at Ascension Seton wasn’t just healthcare—it was compassion. Nourishment. Dignity. Possibility.
And now, she’s ready to give back.
“I want other women—other moms like me—to feel what I felt: supported, seen, and cared for.”