Alaska News

Photos: A special 'first fish' luncheon

The majority of the women who enter Clare House earn less than $10,000 a year. Many arrive with no source of income at all.

"The women here, they like good food like that and everything, but they can't afford to take their kids," said Jaclyn Volden, 35, who recently came to stay at the shelter. Volden works two jobs, one as a shift manager at Subway and the other at a Carrs-Safeway liquor store.

"They don't have any sort of ability to take their kids or even themselves to enjoy something like this. Something better than McDonald's."

At a table in the shelter's dining room, chef Reuben Gerber set down plates of Copper River salmon with ratatouille and pesto in front of Volden and her 13-year-old son, Don'Vittorio Wilcher. The two dug in, and nodded appreciatively as they ate.

Don'Vittorio went back for seconds. Then thirds. And then fourths, heeding his mother and Catholic Social Services staff, who told him to eat as much as he wanted.

Read more: Amid ‘first fish’ fanfare, a Copper River salmon meal with a mission

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