Part II - Who Feeds the Hungry/That's a Wrap

A few weeks ago, I discussed some of the government-funded social programs which assist low-income families who need help paying for food and groceries. For this final edition of Hunger Games, I want to focus on some of the private, non-profit organizations who help to fill the gaps.

As I mentioned before, government assistance to food-insecure populations can only go so far. That's when the non-profit community steps in, in the form of food banks, food pantries, and charitable organizations that support this valuable network. According to the USDA, "there are currently more than 200 food banks in the country, with more than 63,000 affiliated agencies like (food pantries and shelters). This network distributes more than 2.5 billion pounds of food to needy Americans each year" (USDA, 2013).

Food banks are usually located in larger urban areas, and serve as organizing centers and distribution points for a larger surrounding area. The Tarrant Area Food Bank, for example, is based in Fort Worth, but serves a surrounding 13 country area, and works with 300 smaller food pantries, shelters, and faith-based groups devoted to serving their communities (Tarrant Area Food Bank, 2013). Organizations such as the TAFB count on both monetary and in-kind donations from corporate partners, larger state and national organizations, such as Feeding America and the Texas Food Bank Network, and individuals like you and me. Regardless of where you live, there is probably some sort of food pantry being operated near you.

Among the non-profit groups whose focus is feeding hungry people, there are several organizations which serve specialized populations. Meals on Wheels is an organization which works specifically to provide a daily meal to the nation’s elderly citizens who are unable to afford, or prepare, food for themselves. No Kid Hungry, part of the Share Our Strength Network, directs its resources toward feeding school-aged children.

You can find all of these organizations online at the links provided below. Even a small donation to these groups, or your local food bank or pantry, can be beneficial. If you’re short on cash, you can always donate a few hours of your time. Volunteers are always needed!

Tarrant Area Food Bank: http://www.tafb.org/

Feeding America: http://feedingamerica.org/

Texas Food Bank Network: http://tfbn.org/

Meals on Wheels: http://www.mowaa.org/

No Kid Hungry: http://www.nokidhungry.org/

My goal in presenting food insecurity as a blog topic was to raise awareness. The facts and numbers I’ve presented throughout this blog are no longer shocking to me, but I’ve been living with them for a while now. I guess that’s why I’m always surprised to relay them to someone else and witness that person’s shock and disbelief. And it is hard to believe that hunger is such a prevalent problem in a nation as prosperous as ours.

I hope that you have enjoyed reading this blog, and I hope that you’ve learned something from the experience. That there are still so many Americans struggling to keep food in the house, and to make sure their children have regular meals, is a serious problem here in the land of plenty. We, as a nation, are better than this problem would suggest. There are solutions to the hunger problem. We simply have to keep working to find them.

Tarrant Area Food Bank, 2013. About Us. Retrieved from: http://www.tafb.org/AboutUs.html

United States Department of Agriculture, 2013. Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Retrieved from:http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=fnp_page01-4C.xml