The Reasons to Give at a Community Food Bank
Caring about people less fortunate than you are requires little beyond having genuine compassion for the well-being of others. Sometimes communities are hard hit by economic troubles, or by major weather and natural disasters. Food banks distribute to those in need. You can reach out to help through monetary or product donations, as well as volunteering your time. Doing so not only meets vital local demands, but helps to sustain a community during its transition back to a sense of normalcy, and to provide a basic form of human dignity. Giving is also a way to bridge hearts and is often seen as a simple way to find meaning in your own life.
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The Hungry
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Children are among those most severely hurt when food banks suffer shortages. According to the non-profit organization Feeding America, "for one in six Americans, hunger is a reality." Millions of people are going hungry across the globe. These include children, the elderly, the unemployed and the working poor. Floods, earthquakes, oil spills and storms can cause suffering. Food Banks and similar programs to feed the hungry need financial support and constant, steady supplies of food to distribute.
Current Economy
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In today's world, economic crises and trickle-down effects have left many food banks facing regular shortages. Financial crisis has touched people from all cultures, backgrounds, abilities, races, ethnicities and age groups. High costs associated with transporting food can lead to prohibitive grocery costs for many shoppers. Your help is needed to combat all of this. Even people on low budgets can contribute something--every can of food adds up to keep the shelves stocked. When those who "have" share with those less fortunate, a better social balance is maintained. The coin can flip at any time, and keeping those shelves full year-round is critical.
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The Next Meal
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Not everyone knows where their next meal is coming from. Even people who were once well employed or had savings and investment income may find themselves confronted by hunger when circumstances change. Giving to a food bank program through local communities, churches and relief programs is one way to ensure that someone gets to eat today. When you shop, watch for bulk sale items like 10 cans of soup or tuna for ten dollars, than contribute at least one of those cans.
Health Issues
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Undernourished people can have poor health. Eating regular meals of nourishing foods can forestall health problems. This will also help alleviate other potential problems in communities because having high populations of unhealthy people taxes the system. Avoiding high costs of health care helps communities and individuals to stretch their budgets and use the money where it is most needed. Consider giving foods you would choose for yourself or your family - junk foods are not ideal.
Share Your Excess
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Elders who may be living on very low incomes appreciate a steady form of food supply. Do you have an orange tree that is overburdened and dropping fruit? Is the fruit going to waste? Sometimes everything seems to ripen at once in a vegetable garden. By sharing the excess from your own gardens with programs such as Second Harvest, you are not only reducing waste but you can feel confident you are helping someone have a better day.
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- Photo Credit Yellow and green shelves image by Charlie Rosenberg from Fotolia.com Child image by Serenitie from Fotolia.com selling pumpkin image by Chef from Fotolia.com old woman image by Alexander Raths from Fotolia.com
