New York ( CNN ) -- I 'm no stranger to poverty . I 've lived it . I do n't forget it . And when I saw Katherine M. pick up aluminum cans while walking her granddaughter home from school , I could n't stop the rush of emotions . I was n't reporting from a developing country . This was a New York street in the heart of Harlem . `` If I do n't have my gloves , I do n't dig into the garbage , '' Katherine said as she walked past dozens of black plastic trash bags that lined the street . I met her at a soup kitchen while covering a story about the end of the food stamp benefit boost from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act . `` You 've got ta do your homework , and I 've got ta do your hair , '' Katherine said with a smile to her 9-year-old granddaughter , Katherine . In 2004 , her daughter died in childbirth , making the now-66-year-old a caretaker of three overnight . That 's when she went back to changing diapers and taking care of two young boys with small attention spans and big appetites . Raising children on a fixed income was not easy for Katherine . Receiving $ 358 a month in food stamps helped but did n't cover all her grocery needs . On November 1 , her food stamp benefits shrunk . That 's when the boost in benefits from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act ended . About 47 million Americans saw their benefits reduced , too . For Katherine , less food stamp benefits meant collecting more cans on the street and from friends . `` I tell everybody here , 'give me your cans , ' `` she said . She redeems the cans for 5 cents each . Talking to strangers like me about her economic situation was not easy . `` I do n't like that word , 'poor , ' `` she said . `` I 'm bent . '' `` What does bent mean ? '' I asked . `` Poor , but I do n't like the word poor , '' she said . After Katherine 's story aired , a generous viewer from Florida helped her shop for groceries so that this Thanksgiving , she does n't have to sell cans to put food on the table . Life has been rough on Katherine , but you 'd never know from the constant smile on her face . She laughs about the small joys in life and about its tough lessons , as well . `` Here , you pick that up for me , '' Katherine instructed her young granddaughter , pointing to a bottle resting against a fence . Young Katherine used her small hands to pick up the bottle and give it to Grandma , who put it in a small black plastic bag . We all continued walking . As I observed and listened , I could feel a knot growing in my throat . `` I do n't want her to feel ashamed because she have to pick up cans to eat or get the things that she needs , '' Katherine said as she looked in every direction for plastic or aluminum . `` No matter how people look at you , you keep your head up . '' `` Do you think it 's an important lesson ? '' I asked . `` Yeah , it shows young kids how to be independent , '' she responded . By this time , I was holding back my tears . It was a lesson I learned too , at a very early age . And I was seeing another young girl receive the same advice . According to Feeding America , 15.9 million American children lived in food-insecure homes in 2012 . While many American children are thinking about the latest version of their favorite smartphone or tablet this season , millions of children across the country , like little Katherine , do n't know where their next meal will come from . To Impact Your World by fighting hunger , visit the Food Bank for New York City to make a donation that can change a life . That 's where Katherine and many others may get their only food for the day . For more on how you can fight hunger in your community , go to CNN.com/impact .
CNN 's Rosa Flores was moved by a woman she met covering a story . Katherine M. is raising her three grandchildren on food stamps and very little money . To earn extra cash , Katherine collects aluminum cans on the streets of Harlem . How can you help ? Text: http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/20/us/new-york-food-stamps/index.html