Stars of the Valley
Helping to Feed Your Neighbors
Feeding America Soutwest Virginia Serves 26 Counties and 10 Cities by: Heidi Blackwelder In the United States, hunger is often an overlooked problem. Many Americans find it hard to believe or accept that our country, which generally experiences such ease of living, still suffers from a problem like lack of food. But in fact, it is a serious issue. In Roanoke City alone, 17.2% of the population insecurit which is the experiences food insecurity, USDA’s term for a lack of access to enough food to live a healthy life, or an uncertain availability of food that is adequately nutri-‐ tious. Of the children in Roanoke City, a frightening 21.5% (or 1 in every 5) are in need. Thankfully, since 1981, Feeding America Southwest Virginia has brought relief by dis-‐ tributing millions of pounds of food to hungry families. They provide food for over 122,000 people every month! On average, they provide about 70% of the food that partner agencies use in their feeding “ programs. “Partner agencies” are other nonprofit organizations that distribute free food to individuals and families in need. Without Feeding America’s food bank program, there would be severe negative effects on the hungry people in our commu-‐ nities.
Feeding America works by taking donations and then supplying the food to partner agencies such as the Roanoke Rescue Mission, Saint Francis House, the Boys and Girls Club, and Total Action Against Poverty, who then distribute it directly to hungry people. The recipients of the food are decided by the agencies themselves and by USDA guidelines to ensure equitable distri-‐ bution of supplies. Feeding America SWVA currently services twenty-‐six counties and ten cities in southwestern Virginia. Feeding America is not a government agency and relies on community support to function. And it’s easy to get involved! To donate money, visit their website at www.-‐ faswva.org and click on the orange “Donate Now” button. A donation of just $1 allows the food bank to distribute $9 of food to hungry people! That’s enough for three meals for a family in need. Or, if you wish, you can donate your time and service. People can organize nonperish-‐ able food drives at schools, churches, and workplaces, or they can volunteer directly at a Feeding America location. Volunteers usually participate in sorting and boxing
donated food, and inspecting dented cans or damaged boxed goods to ensure that the food inside is still safe to eat. Or, if heavy lifting or standing for long periods of time is not an option, Feeding America can still use volunteers to assist in the office with mail and paperwork. Volunteers with pro-‐ fessional skills are used for special projects like fundraising, finance, public speaking, event planning, and marketing. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Robert Rogers, the Director of Vol-‐ unteer Services, at volunteer@faswva.org, and find out how you can help!
by: Tracy Fisher