Food insecurity — and outright hunger — are not new problems for families in Appalachia.

But inflation, continued economic challenges and changes in (or elimination of) state and federal supports mean right now the danger is significant.

An average of 13% of families in this part of the country receive food stamp benefits.

For families with children under age 18, the average rate is 26%. In West Virginia, nearly 16% of the state’s population — more than 277,000 people — participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; in Ohio, approximately 12% of the population — nearly 1.4 million people need SNAP.

Mid-Ohio Valley residents know our region is often affected even more by such challenges.

We know by listening to worries from our teacher friends who tell stories of children whose only good meals are provided by the schools, and who sometimes ask for extra food to take home to their families on the weekends — perhaps so younger siblings will have something, too. We know of older relatives or neighbors living on fixed incomes and maybe even unable to get out to the grocery store regularly who need a hand.

And then there are those we don’t know about; those we think don’t fit the narrative.

Hunger and food insecurity can affect anyone. It is because we don’t know that we must look for opportunities to help as many people as possible, through organizations such as our local food pantries and nonprofits.

One such opportunity presents itself Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Parkersburg News and Sentinel parking lot at 519 Juliana St., Parkersburg. Our annual Chick Crites Food Drive, in partnership with the Mid-Ohio Valley Platoon Marine Corps Association and other veterans organizations, will provide food, necessities and financial donations to the Old Man Rivers and DAV Chapter 32 food pantries.

Please stop by and help, if you can. There is no donation too small.

Hunger and food insecurity are not always visible, but they are everywhere. Maybe WE can’t be everywhere, but we can be here, today, ready to help.

Please join us.