October 12, 2008

The Real Face of Hunger

I am a single mom with two teens. I have contacted the Met Council there is a waiting list for the food pantry. Do you have any other suggestions?

This is but one email we have received over the past few weeks which relates to the very serious situation facing many, many people in this country today.

The past several weeks have not been easy for anyone here in the United States or most anywhere in the world. The unprecedented economic free-fall is a stark reminder that all is not well and will, no doubt, stay that way for some time to come.

Because so much of what the Good People Fund does relates to the most basic of human needs-shelter, clothing, food…it is not surprising that we are hearing about serious problems when it comes to individuals and families who are struggling to put food on their table. The writer of the above email actually works full-time and yet, she is having difficulty feeding her family. Perhaps, even more distressing is that she mentions that the Met Council (The Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty in New York City) has a waiting list for new clients.

What we hear from this woman is repeated to us often…the programs that we work with that do provide food are being pressed beyond their limits with new applicants who cannot provide sustenance to themselves or their families.

We worry and we wonder where this is all going to go….