All across America, hunger advocates see the effects of our struggling economy on families and food banks firsthand. We thank them for sharing their stories, and we, in turn, share them with you.
A Volunteer in Oregon
I have been an advocate for the hungry in America for over 20 years. I have volunteered in food banks from California to Oregon. In the last six months, I have seen a surge in the need for food. On a normal day, our food bank serves between 15 and 20 families. Yesterday we served 40 families. That equals 185 people we helped in one day.
Our food bank is open only 2 half-days a week. Luckily, we have many volunteers. Some days we run out of food. Many of our clients now also ask if we can help them find work. I have always found working at the food bank rewarding, but now it is also frustrating because I am not able to help my clients find work.
A Minister
As a youth worker in a small church and then as a licensed minister and deacon, I have seen hunger in many faces—hunger has no age limit.
With the economy in the shape it is in, with so many people at or below poverty level, there are many who have to choose between putting quality food on their tables and buying gas for their vehicles.
We have gone out into the streets and met some of the homeless, feeding them physically and spiritually. It is heartbreaking to see single parents with one or more children struggling to make ends meet.
You hear stories about the starving and hungry in other nations, but there are many falling through the cracks right here in our own nation. Feeding America is a great resource for helping to reduce and even end hunger in America.
A Restaurant Owner
Helping our elderly and children starts with everyone at home.…I am a small-business owner. My sister and I run a small family restaurant and catering company in Lancaster County, PA. We struggle every day to pay our bills, pay our payroll, and feed our own families.
But we all have a few extra cans or boxes of unused food in our cabinets. We are starting a food drive in our restaurant to collect dry and canned food goods to send to our nearest food bank. We are hoping to send several hundred, if not thousands, of pounds of food every month. We will also be donating our own large quantity of food.
Let’s all lend a hand, let’s all give or volunteer.
An Individual in Need Taking Action to Help
In New York State, obtaining public assistance is a long-drawn-out process that is frustrating and often demeaning. It is this way in order to keep people from defrauding the government and taking assistance away from those who need it the most. However, it also has the effect of turning many people off who really need the helping hand...
I live three houses down the street from our local food pantry. It is not affiliated with any government or any other non-profit group. It stands alone. We have a very small community, and we are located in an economically depressed area. Our local food pantry steps into the gap and gives.
This food pantry is at the mercy of support from completely private donations. This year, noting the increase in families and individuals making use of this food pantry…local residents organized a folk-music concert of local musicians…to raise money and food donations to support the pantry. They raised a little over $500, and obtained much in the way of canned and dry goods.
I would like to start a farm to grow produce that can be sold at below-market prices to support food pantries like ours and others. I give what I can when I can, but all too often, I find myself in our local pantry, not to donate, but to receive food in order to make ends meet. I am even now trying to find a way to make a non-profit farm viable and to be able to not only support myself, but also my community.
A Registered Nurse
I am a Registered Nurse. I understand how hunger impacts health…as well as the future of our nation.
Hunger impacts senior health. Our seniors have to choose between food and medication. Sometimes they will stop their medications and sometimes they will take a smaller, non-effective dose to make the pills last longer. Thus, they become sick or more acutely sick. Often they are too proud to ask for assistance.
Since our seniors are not taking their medications as they should, seeing their physician, and not eating healthy, we then see more of them entering our already crowded emergency rooms and hospitals.…This costs us as a nation millions of dollars. So the impact goes beyond just the person.
Our children are also affected. It is a known fact that children who have a healthy breakfast do better in school. If they are better students, they can have a more positive impact on our society as adults. Some children are obese not just because of eating too much, but because Mom and Dad can't afford vegetables and fruit. They have to feed their family cheap starches.
I see this coming to play in our hospital's emergency room and patient care areas. And my hospital is in an affluent part of the city! I can't imagine how it is in the inner-city hospitals. We need to fight hunger, especially for our children and our seniors. We have to be their voice.