Opinion - Whatcom View

POSTED: Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009

Food drive comes during time of increasing need

"Hunger is unacceptable" is a phrase that is often heard. However, hunger is a real condition for tens of thousands of Whatcom County citizens. The week of Oct. 12-16 marks the 15th annual Community Food Drive. As a community, this is an opportunity to help support a service so vital to our neighbors.

For 15 years, Whatcom County residents have joined together during the third week of October to help support the growing need for food assistance in Whatcom County. Last year the community raised an astonishing 206,000 pounds of food in just five days.

This amount equaled a record for food donations by our community. Not only was this donated amount a new annual record, it also marked the millionth pound raised by residents of Whatcom County during the history of the Community Food Drive.

As a community we should pause and applaud our efforts.

Done clapping? Now, we must accept the reality that is the growing need for food assistance in our community.

Over the past two years Whatcom County food banks have seen a 35 to 40 percent increase in client visits. In 2008 they distributed approximately 4 million pounds of food to Whatcom County residents.

Fifteen to 17 percent of Whatcom County now uses the food bank at least once a year. More than half are children (under 18) or senior citizens.

If hunger is truly unacceptable, we've got a long way to go.

The Community Food Drive is critical to stock the food bank shelves after the summer months when donations are typically down and demand begins to increase over the holiday season. Supporting food banks through this food drive and others like it is easy and vital as they try to feed more and more people each month.

The community, not the government, primarily supports our county's food banks. They all depend on food drives like this and relatively small monetary donations to meet their mission. A simple $5 or $10 check is how they are able to make their budgets, keep the collection trucks running, food coolers cold and purchase needed food.

Donations for the Community Food Drive can be made Monday through Friday at any Whatcom County Haggen or Industrial Credit Union location. Donations will be distributed to nine Whatcom County food banks. To learn more about the Community Food Drive and donate online, visit www.CommunityFoodDrive.com.

Lines will only grow longer this winter as heating costs begin to rise, seasonal employment ends and holiday expenses mount. We have an opportunity to proactively meet the needs of our food banks and our neighbors.

Each year during the food drive I am touched by the generosity of my neighbors. Those who don't have much to give often find a way to give something, while those who do have the means find ways to give more. It is a true snapshot of the compassion we have for each other.

As a community we may not always agree on the reason for the growing lines or what the best solution is to problem. But, what we can agree on are the growing numbers and real people that hunger affects. I invite you to strongly consider donating your time, money and/or spare food to help ease the burden of those in our community.

People helping people, it's as simple as that.

Matt Vance, marketing director at Industrial Credit Union, coordintor of the Community Food Drive.