Tis still the season to be giving, even if the holidays are long gone. The Greater Boston Food Bank named January “Super Hunger” month. This is the time of year where many Massachusetts residents have to choose between heating their homes and putting food on the table. Even now, more people are suffering from the economical climate than the meteorological climate.
"Right now, the members of the hunger relief agency are serving 11 percent more clients,” said Food Bank spokeswoman Stacy Wong. “The need is up. We are in a recovery period; however, there is no job growth so there are a lot of families in need."
Statistics show the Greater Boston Food Bank distributes around 600,000 pounds of food to more than 83,000 people each week. They rely on nothing but the generosity of tens of thousands of financial and food donors every year. Fourteen thousand volunteers each year go around to communities from Boston to Framingham; Haverhill to New Bedford; Cape Ann to Cape Cod.
The amount of work that goes into feeding families in need is inspiring. Unfortunately, a recent US Department of Agriculture report shows that more than 8 percent of all households in Massachusetts are suffering from "food insecurity," meaning they lack access to sufficient amounts of nutritious food. The Food Bank reveals a strong relationship between hunger and job performance, and both are constantly affecting each other in the inverse as well.
"This is a great time of need," said Wong, "and we are telling everyone that they can give whatever they are comfortable with giving. Money, time or food. It takes a lot to feed 80,000 people a week"
The Greater Boston Food Bank accepts money, however small an amount. For every dollar you donate, the Food Bank can distribute $4 worth of food. So every little contribution counts for a lot.
And, of course, you can donate food.
You can also volunteer and help distribute food amongst the areas in need. One of the best ways to contribute is to host a fundraiser or a food drive. All the proceeds go to helping the hungry men, women and children of Massachusetts.
"I know without (the Greater Boston Food Bank), people would not be able to make it," said Jack Nolan, Acquisition and Distribution manager for the Pine Street Inn, a homeless shelter. "They are a great organization. I know there are people looking for eggs, cereal, meats, peanut butter, and the Food Bank provides that."
This is your chance to make a difference in your community. The Greater Boston Food Bank invites everyone to contribute in their own way. No matter how small a donation seems to you, it is a great gesture of generosity to your community. It will mean so much to so many in this struggling economy. Log on to gbfb.org to learn how your donation can change someone’s life.
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