Today I Witnessed How Hunger Can Grow if Unchecked
The tip of the iceberg?
I am discouraged, infuriated, and distressed that we are about to encounter a significant challenge.
The above photograph illustrates the case in point. State and federal fiscal policies are changing rapidly, affecting the local response to food insecurity.
The refrigerator at our local food pantry, where I volunteer weekly, is usually amply stocked for our clients. However, our umbrella food cooperative reports they cannot provide any fresh produce or milk for July.
Yes, we have a vegetable garden developed by master gardeners from which we will net some produce, and we have many local partners (grocers, etc.) who supply us with some products at or near expiration. Area businesses, schools, and churches provide sporadic relief through food drives.
None of this will be enough if the trend continues.
We face more workarounds than ever as state and federal cutbacks are phased in and SNAP benefits are reduced and/or eliminated. Many families are caught in a downward economic spiral, and their choices between medical care, prescription drugs, child care, clothing, food, and housing will be dictated by programs they have relied on for assistance or jobs that may be lost or not pay enough.
This is where we come in as a non-profit.
We help families cope with unsustainable stress by providing supplemental healthy food twice monthly, not every day, but enough to ease some of the burden. When we open the pantry for a shopping day, as we did this morning, and the refrigerator is virtually empty, what happens to the 40 to 70 families we serve each of four days a week?
This question will give me a fretful sleep tonight.
Why should this occur in my country, the US? Why do we care less and less for those who need our help? Should I look the other way and ignore, as many do?
We are in a battle for our souls at this time in our history. Do we behave more as our faith would have us do, or do we walk away and let every man, woman, and child fend for themselves?
I can't look away, so I will continue to fight via advocacy and fundraising for those who need us most.
“For me, an area of moral clarity is: you're in front of someone who's suffering and you have the tools at your disposal to alleviate that suffering or even eradicate it, and you act.”
— Paul Farmer
Thanks for spending time with me.
What's happening is unconscionable. Today at the shelter where I volunteer we had three young men new who were all under 23 years old. But it's not impossible to make a difference. Keep doing what you are doing. It matters.
Likewise! We also had an older man in his 60s whose intake took an hour because he can't read so staff had to read all the questions to him.