Getting Enough Food

A young girl came to the Food Pantry where I volunteer and asked if I needed help carrying in the bags with donated items. She's a bouncy eight year old. 'Sure', I said, and gave her the lightest bag. "This is my mother's first time here", she said. "Sometimes we're hungry so we came for food." A simple yet stunning admission in this country of plenty. An estimated 281,000 people just in northeast Florida struggle to put food on their table and that includes over 80,000 children. She was one of them.

Our Food Pantry has 10,000 people registered and is only one of 106 food distribution programs in Duval County, our little corner of the world. Surrounding counties that make up the rest of northeast Florida  account for another 53. I had no idea the extent of the problem of hunger before volunteering at the Food Pantry. I've been researching ever since to get educated.

Turns out that 46 million Americans turn to Feeding America network for food support through their 61,000 food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters across America, the richest nation on earth. Of those, 43.1 million have incomes at or below that poverty level. But this isn't about statistics, it's about individuals I meet on the days I work.

Mike comes and wants to be called a traveler rather than homeless. We give him extra supplies for personal care in addition to food. We do that for all travelers. Betty is a grandmother who can't work and cares for her 4 grandchildren. She depends on food stamps but only receives $88.00 a month. She needs the food pantry to augment food for her family. It's still not enough. Althea is disabled by a heart condition, can't work and struggles to feed herself and her 2 children.

I learn new words volunteering at a food pantry- food insecurity, limited food access, uncertain food access and an old word describing new people- hunger. They're ugly words underlying ugly realities of not enough food to supply health for many of our neighbors. Mostly faith-based and nonprofit agencies provide the food distribution of donated goods from food manufacturers, agricultural communities, food wholesalers and retailers, federal commodity programs and local community food banks. People, stores and companies give generously.

I'm impressed at the strict accountability we maintain at our food pantry. We keep substantial records to verify conformity to federal and state safe food handling standards. I'm also impressed at the prevailing compassion I witness, the effort to reduce shame or reluctance. We spread the message that food is the most basic human right and we give what we have to those who need it. Gladly. Gratefully.

So I encourage you to look around your little corner of the world. The hungry often stay hidden. But networks and resources exist to provide food to those who need it. Find out where they are in your area and refer those who lack enough food. Get involved. Donate. Volunteer. Listen to the stories. Each person has a story. What stories have touched your heart?