Hey everyone..Just a little reminder .I know things are financially tight if not impossible for some of us. But I would like to encourage everyone to still donate to the food pantries.
Prices are up .Parents are having to make the choice to pay for gas and rent OR buy food.More and more they can't afford both and kids are going hungry. The pantries have been swamped and applications for food stamps according to news reports are heading off the charts. I know the post office food drive just passed, but there are others plus you could call churches in the area.Many have pantries and would greatly appreciate the help.
Some people think pantries help people just for the asking all the time but in reality a person going to a pantry has to show proof of who is in the household and income.That is a good thing .However you are usually only able to go once a month maybe twice and it is a 3 day supply . Many working families do not qualify for stamps even though all their income is paying bills and filling the gas tank to go to work or some have medical expenses. So while the pantries help they certainly cannot feed a family indefinitely which is what some people believe. Combine that with less donations as people tighten their own belts due to economy pantries are running out of even those 3 day supplies and hungry families are turned away.
Another myth about food pantries are they only need help during holiday seasons or the winter. Very untrue because in the summer months children are out of school on summer vacation and the ones that were on reduced or free lunch or breakfast programs lose those meals.Many children in the summer eat once a day and some not even that.
Hunger is still a VERY big problem in our country 12 months a year.
As far as donations ,of course anything is appreciated but in addition to mac and cheese and green beans there are other great choices to donate for health and protein.
Some are..small cans of tuna,ham,chicken, dry beans, peanut butter,powdered eggs,chili, soups,powdered milk etc
Some pantries will take donations of extra garden produce, or even frozen left over slices of pizza.
Some places that have freezers available will take donations of fresh dairy and meat but be sure to check first beforehand to see that they have the means to keep fresh items from spoiling.
To make it easier on your own pocket and still donate,look for markdowns, day olds and sales in the grocery stores or raid your own pantry of things you know you will probably end up not using. Better off going in a hungry tummy then the trash can.Just remember if it's so stale or old that it's not safe for you to eat please don't expect someone else to. You would be surprised by a few people that donate way outdated rusted cans or moldy stuff thinking well if they are hungry enough they can eat anything.That's dangerous not to mention cruel.
I have donated to pantries ever since I was in elementary school. We would have a food drive at Christmas at Parsons Elementary in South Columbus and each child would bring in cans of food to put around a large Christmas tree in the hall. It is one of my favourite memories .I have also had to use pantries and nothing feels better then when your kids are hungry and somebody cares that they eat .
So if possible..please call your local church or human services, boy scouts ,fire dept etc and find out when and where the food drives are happening. Even just one can,jar, box can make a difference in a child getting to eat for a day
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