Hunger not just a worldwide problem, but also local

Editorial
Published: April 23, 2008

World food collection agencies are beginning to hit the panic button. The price of rice has doubled in the last five weeks, and food prices have risen by 83 percent in the last three years, according to The World Bank.

“We are getting to the worst period of our life,” Samuel Ebwelle of Cameroon said in an Associated Press article. “We’ve had to reduce the number of meals we take a day from three to two. Breakfast no longer exists on our menu.”

Surely, alarms are ringing loudly for food collection agencies around the world hoping to offer whatever they can to those less fortunate.

But don’t think for a minute that those alarms do not apply to us, because they do. This isn’t just a global problem. Hunger is a very real issue right here in our backyard.

Sure, life in the United States affords many of us the opportunities that others worldwide can never hope for, but that does not change the fact that many U.S. citizens — even those who live in Lee County, Ala. — are dealing with hunger also.

They may not depend on a handful of rice for a meal, but many do wonder from where tomorrow’s meal will come. Don’t think for a minute that you cannot be touched by this problem, because you can, or that there is nothing you can do to help, because there is.

The Food Bank of East Alabama has distributed more than 17 million pounds of food over the last two years. That’s a staggering amount. But even with those numbers, not all needs were met.

Why is the food bank so important? The food bank provides food to an average of 11,500 Alabamians each month and for each dollar donated provides more than 14 pounds of food to those who need it.
Obviously, today’s economic climate does not help matters.

Cost for transport and delivery of goods is rising, just as the price of gasoline continues to skyrocket. But for those less fortunate, their expenses are rising like everybody else’s. That’s why today’s economic conditions make their needs even greater than before. That’s why it’s so important to roll up our sleeves more than ever.

Visit the Food Bank of East Alabama’s Web site at foodbankofeastalabama.com, or call the Food Bank at 821-9006 to see how you can help.