Most people who know me, know I grew up poor, and I know many people who struggle to make it month to month, hoping they can feed their kids. Food Banks are one of those places that help poor people. If you don't know what a Food Bank is, it is a place where those receiving Government Aide can go to get additional food they may need, if they run out of food stamps, or maybe they don't even get food stamps. These food banks serve a very important service to the poorest among us.
I was shocked recently to learn that a local food bank may have to close the door, because of lack of funding. Now it was unclear if the funding was coming from the State or Federal Government, but either way funding had been cut, cut by over $650,000. Now I'm not one of these Nanny State sort of people, who believes the Government should take care of everything, but it seems to me during a time in which so many people are in need, the last thing we should do is cut funding to food programs, and food banks. If Politicians want to make cuts, why not start with their Salary? Why start with taking away from the least among us?
It was just last year I talked about how this local Food Bank had seen it's numbers double since the Economic down fall, people who never needed help, were suddenly in need. I do like the idea these Food Banks have, they are sending Paper Plates with the names of those who come in and are in need to the Government, reminding them it's more than just numbers, it is real people.
I encourage people who can to donate to their local food banks, maybe clean out your pantry, or write a check, or maybe even go to one of your local food banks and see how you can help them. For me it's not about being on the left or right, it's about I know these people, I am that person, and it effects me on a personal level. It's about my faith, in a belief that as a Christian I know we are to take care of the least among us. If we fail to take care of our own, at what point have we lost our own humanity?
