Editor’s Notes: Fighting food insecurity
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Last weekend I had the pleasure of spending a Saturday with representatives of a few of our local veterans organizations during the Complete the Mission Food Drive to benefit the Gospel Mission Food Pantry in Marietta.
I've got to say, I have never been around a group of people who do a better job of giving each other a hard time and yet everyone finishes the day with smiles on their faces. If there was a jab to be made about a branch of service, model of truck or (ahem) perceived IQ level, these folks made it. But somehow never with the feeling that real harm was intended. It was just part of the camaraderie, and it was hard to keep from giggling along.
But while such a good time was being had, there was serious business afoot. Too many in our community are hungry, worried about how they're going to feed their families. Worried about whether they'll have the basic toiletries and other necessities to be clean and presentable at school or work. Worried about how they will feed their beloved pets.
(I was surprised when helping load donations into a pickup truck to hear the Gospel Mission's Jeff Waite say he was glad to see a couple of bags of pet food being tossed in. I got the impression he knew someone needed that, too.)
According to The Appalachian Voice, Feeding America has determined the average rate of food insecure individuals for five states in the Appalachian region is nearly 14%. The national average is 12.5%. Though the report did not say which five states were considered, Mid-Ohio Valley residents might be able to hazard a guess. After all, West Virginia is the only state that lies entirely in Appalachia, and we don't have to look far to find someone we know who is struggling with food insecurity.
For that matter, it might be you -- or maybe there has been a time or two recently when you felt like food insecurity was looming. Maybe it wasn't so recent. Maybe it was years ago and you are now fortunate enough to be able to eat as much as you want, whenever you want, and offer the same to your family. But you haven't forgotten that feeling.
Here there are too many who have an idea what it is like to be worried about when the next meal might come.
If you missed your chance to do something about that last weekend, there is another opportunity coming up. From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 14 in the News and Sentinel parking lot at 519 Juliana St., Parkersburg, we will be hosting the Chick Crites Annual Food Drive -- this time to benefit the Old Man Rivers Mission and DAV Chapter 32 food pantries.
Toss some extra non-perishables in the cart during your weekly grocery run and then drop them off with us. The men and women from the veterans' organizations who volunteer each year will take it from there. Financial donations are welcomed, too, of course, as those who run our local food pantries are practiced at making funds stretch a long way.
However the mission is accomplished, come be part of making it happen. Come be part of giving someone a little more to eat, and a little less worry to worry about. You may never know the difference that will make.
Christina Myer is executive editor of The Parkersburg News and Sentinel. She can be reached via e-mail at cmyer@newsandsentinel.com