Meghan Markle made her first public appearance since announcing her miscarriage earlier this year, appearing on Sunday's CNN Heroes TV special, and as People reports (opens in new tab), the Duchess of Sussex, in a pre-recorded segment, COVID-19 honored the "quiet heroes" who helped people facing food shortages during the pandemic. Princess Meghan suffered a miscarriage in July (opens in new tab), she revealed in a New York Times op-ed last month.

"While it has been a universally difficult year for all, I am inspired by the stories of compassion in our community. Across the country, people are putting aside their own needs, banding together, and supporting the collective well-being of those around them," Princess Meghan said in a special contribution. [In March, the COVID-19 crisis hit hard and everything seemed to change overnight. For many families, the effects of the pandemic were devastating, and too many were faced with the heartbreaking question: how do I put food on my family's table?

"But in the face of this devastating reality, we also saw the power of the human spirit and the amazing ways in which communities respond in difficult times. We saw the goodwill in people, in their neighbors, and in the community as a whole to unite that we will not stand idly by while our neighbors starve," Meghan continued. [We saw the community rise up and take action. When the Children's Feeding Program was shut down, we made sure our neighbors made sure their children got the nutrition they needed. And when the immunocompromised and most vulnerable were unable to leave their homes, we showed up as a community to bring the food they needed to their doorsteps.

"We know the value of food: as nourishment, as a source of life, and in moments of crisis, the warmth of a meal can be as comforting as a much needed hug.

"Moments like this have reminded many of us that we are valued. Tonight we celebrate the quiet heroes, some of whom I know and some of whom I applaud from afar. These people stood up and made sure that the most basic needs of our community were met. They ensured that those around them did not have to suffer in isolation. They nourished their neighbors in many ways"

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"And they taught us, all of us, that no matter how dark the times, when we are united, we have the power to remind someone that there is hope, that we are okay," Megan concluded.

Princess Meghan and Prince Harry played a role in helping their community during the pandemic by volunteering numerous times at local charities; in April, the Sussexes volunteered at Project Angel Food, a Los Angeles charity (new tab) in Los Angeles. The couple has been seen volunteering at the charity on at least three occasions (opens in new tab).

In June, Megan and Harry worked for Homeboy Industries (opens in new tab), a social justice organization that helps formerly incarcerated and gang-related individuals in Los Angeles. They helped prepare meals for the organization's #FeedHOPE program (opens in new tab). The Sussexes volunteered with the nonprofit Baby2Baby (open in new tab) in August, working at a drive-through event that distributed school supplies, food, hygiene items, and clothing to students in need.