Commentary; Posted: 3/9/05
Communities must play a role in feeding hungry
In suburban communities, where incomes are higher than average, it is a myth that poverty and hard times do not exist. Compared to urban centers, poverty is not as great, but suburban families are experiencing more hard times, as the economy slowly improves and the state cuts back on human services.
Officials from food shelves serving suburban communities report there is a greater demand than ever for food from working families with two jobs. They are working for less money, because higher-paying jobs have been lost to mergers and sending work overseas where labor is cheaper. More than 50 percent of food shelf clients work and 35 percent are retired or have a disability that prevents them from working.
With housing, health care, day care and transportation costs growing, families in suburban communities are having a hard time stretching their dollars, causing them to go to local shelves for food. In northern Dakota County, more than half are families with children and one or both adults working.
In Minnesota, food shelf use has increased 40 percent since 2001. Each of those years the number of users has increased while the supply of food has decreased. Each community depends on local donations of food and dollars, plus the help of volunteers to feed the hungry.
March is Minnesota Food Share Month with a goal of 8.5 million pounds of food and or dollars. The theme of this drive is ìNeighbors Helping Neighbors ñ itís the Minnesota Way."
In these newspapers youíll be able to discover how to contribute money and food to your local food shelves. The Web site where youíll be able to make a donation on line is: http://www.gmcc.org/foodshare/.
The March campaign is responsible for half of all groceries distributed at Minnesota food shelves each year.
Itís important to know that the Minnesota Food Share gives cash incentives to local food shelves based on how much food and how many dollars they collect during March.
In suburban communities the story is the same: more demand and more need for food.
At the Community Emergency Assistance Program which serves all of Anoka and part of Northern Hennepin counties, 450 families a month are being helped. The demand for food is 20 percent greater than it was a year ago.
In Elk River, 9800 received more than 190,400 lbs of food from the CAER foodshelf last year. More first-timers are being helped over the economic hump.
The five food shelves run by Family Pathways in Forest Lake, Cambridge, North Branch, Lindstrom and Onamia each year need more food and dollars. In Forest Lake, just in February, 81 families including 107 children and 118 ages 18-64 were served 2115 meals and the number keeps on rising.
The Community Action Council in Dakota County with seven food shelves reports that 2500 families, averaging three visits each, received over 400,000 pounds of food in 2004, a 16 percent increase over the previous year.
The story is the same in Princeton where in January there were 199 visits to the Princeton Pantry and where in 2004, 133,810 lbs of food was distributed.
In Milaca, 193,000 pounds of food went to 2900 visitors.
The success of feeding the hungry absolutely depends on the community members who must donate the food and dollars and provide the volunteers. A lot of people in need are depending on you, particularly this Food Share Month. ó Don Heinzman
Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605