For Milca, A Nurse, Mother & Thrive Gives Member, Healthy Eating is Part of the Family Legacy

If you’re a family in financial need—including teachers, nurses, first responders, students, veterans, and EBT cardholders—you qualify for a free one-year membership through Thrive Gives. With it, you’ll get access to member-only benefits from Thrive Market.

Nurses work long hours — but so do mothers.

For Milca, a dialysis nurse raising three children in Houston, Texas, the work rarely stops: She pulls 14-hour shifts caring for her patients, then cares for her family from the moment she gets home.

Despite these long hours, Milca’s main priority at home is making sure that her family is happy, healthy, and well-fed — and that’s where Thrive Market comes in. As a nurse, Milca is part of our Thrive Gives program, which offers free Thrive Market memberships to nurses, teachers, and other eligible groups. Thrive Gives makes it easy for Milca to stock up on healthy, affordable groceries for her family even when she doesn’t have time for grocery shopping.

When we visited Milca and her family, made up of 12-year-old Hendrick, 10-year-old Jeremiah, and 6-year-old Melody, we were met with smiles and laughter from the moment we stepped through the door — plus a warm, wholesome breakfast just about to hit the table.

Healthy Eating As a Love Language — And a Legacy

Milca grew up in Haiti, and she credits her mother with teaching her the value of fresh, healthy food.

“My relationship with food started when I was a little girl,” she says. “I got it from my mom.” Today, Milca loves to make fresh, homemade meals for her own family; Haitian black beans and rice, stewed chicken with vegetables and spices, and grilled salmon are still staples in her household. Every meal is a teachable moment about nutrition and healthy eating.

“My mom didn’t have a lot financially, but I can remember she never fed me and my brother junk food,” Milca remembers. “She always made the effort to bring home food to cook for us, to give us vegetables.” As a mother, Milca is similar: She prioritizes fruits, vegetables, fish, and chicken, and when the kids want snacks, she’s always on the hunt for healthier versions of their favorite chips or sodas.

That’s where Thrive Market comes in. Milca’s orders are always filled with lower-sugar sweet treats, probiotic sodas, whole grain cereals, and crunchy chips without all the artificial ingredients. She lets the kids pick their own healthy snacks and beverages, and when they’re browsing the app together as a family, she’s able to teach them about the benefits of healthy eating.

“When I went into the medical field, I learned the effect that food can have on you as a person,” Milca says. “My mom didn’t really have the knowledge that I have, but she gave me that legacy. I have to [give it to] my kids.”

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