So many people in this valley are blessed with abundance, but the rising cost of food has food banks scrambling to feed those among us who are less fortunate.

It's time to share. It's time for neighbors to help neighbors.

We realize it's a difficult time for most people and the economy may get worse before it gets better. But if we all dig a little deeper and share with each other, our communities will be better able to weather this storm.

We are more fortunate than many communities because we have pockets of significant affluence - unlike few places in the world.

That was evident following the crop freeze in January of 2007, when $1 billion in citrus and other crops were destroyed and farm workers struggled to feed their families.

People needed a hand up; not a hand out, and it was caring individuals like Christy Porter, executive director of Hidden Harvest, who reminded residents that there is abundance in this valley and neighbors must step up and share.

We are calling on that same spirit of giving to help the food banks supply the growing need that is the resulting of a sluggish economy.

Nearly 100 percent of the food distributed by the FIND Food Bank in Cathedral City is donated, but the organization is paying slightly more per meal than it did last year.

FIND's distribution of food amounted to 89,000 boxes per month during the first three months of 2008. Now, the food bank is handing out about 100,000 boxes a month.

Same goes for the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission in Indio, which is providing about 200 more meals a day than it did two years ago.

The hike in gas prices also is taking a toll on food pantry operations that need to pick up and transport food.

The food banks are appealing to all of us for help.

"We need money," said FIND President Sam Hook. "Our numbers have increased over 10 percent. What concerns us is that we're seeing the most vulnerable of our society increase - seniors and children."

This situation is even more serious on a global scale.

The World Food Program is making its own appeal for $755 million in additional aid, and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling the situation a "global crisis." The recent tragedy of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar will likely impact the availability of food even more so in the coming weeks.

Nationally, more than 25 states have started experiencing an increase in the welfare rolls.

California has the largest percentage of recipients enrolled in government assistance, 30.3 percent of the national total, or nearly 1.2 million people. (Welfare officials were not available to comment on whether the state is experiencing any significant change in the numbers of people recipients.)

Nationwide, nearly 4 million people receive government aid.

The economy, gas and food prices, shortages of food for the poor, and an increase in government assistance all point to the same problem: More people are in need right now.

We're all in this together, so when local food banks are struggling to feed families, we all must remember that many of us are blessed with abundance and we have the power to ease this situation.

Again, share what you can now.

<< Back to News and Current Events