If You Have Done It For The Least Of These

I found out today that the food pantry at church is empty. Mine is not a small church. The other large church in our town has a dwindling pantry, too. I should have suspected this. Many people have reached the end of their unemployment and there is no work here.

It was very humbling to have a college degree and a license in 2 states and still be unable to find work. I am employed now, but make about a quarter of what I made 3 years ago. Others may not have my resources.

I guess what I am trying to say is this, if you are a member of a congregation, inquire as to the state of your church's food pantry. See what you need to round up to donate. If you don't belong to a church, check out other local agencies that provide food for your community.

If we all do a little we can ease the suffering of other. I am about to see, right now, what I have to share.

Blog Action Day--Part 2

Poverty/Hunger

In the 1980s there was a national demonstration in the U. S. to bring attention to world hunger. It was called Hands Across America. For younger readers, here’s a link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hands_Across_America

For a while talking about world hunger was the big fad. Singers sang about it. Stars mentioned the topic while plugging their latest movie. Then homelessness became the new fad. Later stars hopped onto private jets to talk and sing about saving the environment. Lately the stars have given up the pretense and revel in making a show of gaudy excess. Most seem to have forgotten about the hungry, the homeless, and the environment.

That is why I am interested in the Blog Action Day. I have a few suggestions for average people like us who can do something to really help feed the hungry.

A) A community organization like a Sunday School group or Neighborhood Watch group could have a combined yard sale/bake sale and donate all the proceeds to a local mission or homeless shelter. It is a project that costs little money (maybe an advertisement in the newspaper) and you get to spend the day getting to know your neighbors. It is an especially nice project for the autumn or spring.

B) If you belong to a house of worship or community center, you could sponsor an Angel Food pickup point. For more information about Angel Food Ministries, check this link: http://www.angelfoodministries.com/

C) Give a contribution to a reputable charity whether it is a food pantry at your church or a larger organization. I am listing three good ones here.

1. Feed The Children. Consumer groups have found that this group spends most of its money on actual food distribution. This link will lead you to fundraisers you can do for this organization. http://www.feedthechildren.org/site/PageServer?pagename=org_specialprojects

2. Samaritan’s purse. The cool thing about this organization is that you can choose projects you would like to sponsor, like the purchasing of seed corn, chickens, or sponsor the digging of a well. Here’s a link: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/

3. Memphis Union Mission relies on private support and receives no government funding. I once sat with a little girl and her mother as they ate. They told me that without this mission, they didn’t know where they would have gotten their supper. Here is a link: http://www.memphisunionmission.org/

I hope this blog has given you some ideas. Get involved and have some fun, too.

Poverty/World Hunger--Part 1

For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink . .

Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto me. Matthew 25:35a,40b.

October 15 is Blog Action Day. Many bloggers are banding together to discuss ways to fight poverty throughout the world. Links will be available for those who are interested in learning more about alleviating hunger.

I once heard a preacher say that in the U.S.A. we believe in feeding people “real good” at Thanksgiving and Christmas, but don’t think much about the hungry any other time. I don’t believe he was exaggerating either. There is something about autumn and harvest that makes me think about filling my pantry and then working on the local food bank, too.

Every autumn the Boy Scouts send around flyers asking people to put some canned goods or non-perishable food on the front porch on a designated day. Then they can collect a large amount of food without having to waste time knocking on doors.

About once a month I buy a one-pound sack of rice or beans and store it in a box in my closet. When I get the yearly flyer from the Boy Scouts, all I need to do is add a few things from my cabinet to fill a sack with needed vegetables, fruit, or canned meat.

This always gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling. I am encouraging children to become productive members of society and am helping to replenish the food bank.

--But is a once a year enough?

Whether it is the colder weather that reminds us of hungry people in the world or the kindness we feel during the holiday season, we should remember that the hungry are with us year round.

I will have information to help alleviate hunger in my next post.