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Thanksgiving turkeys to fly off area food bank shelves
Turkeys should ease Thanksgiving hunger pangsDate published: 11/19/2009 BY AMY FLOWERS UMBLE Thanksgiving is exactly one week away, and many Americans struggle to stuff their turkeys into freezers. But about 49 million have nearly empty freezers. Yesterday, Steve Carty squeezed 2,000 frozen birds into the Fredericksburg Area Food Bank's industrial-sized freezer. Those turkeys should go a long way to help the area's hungry. But they aren't enough to feed every area resident who goes without food. The food bank has never received so many turkeys at one time. But the poultry pileup doesn't quite reach the agency's goal of 3,000 gobblers. In fact, some have already gone to needy families. Dayle Reschick, resource development director, said she's confident another 1,000 turkeys will come in by Thanksgiving. The food bank bought the 2,000 turkeys and hopes to find the others through donations. So far, school turkey drives and some individual donations have netted more than 100 turkeys. "It is amazing how people give in this community," Reschick said. "It really is amazing, and we're just so thankful." Giving to the area food bank has increased this year--despite the recession. The 20 percent rise in donations has not kept pace with the 30 percent rise in need. But it beats what many nonprofits are reporting: rising needs and decreasing donations. While food bank employees are thankful for the help, they also face growing odds in the fight against hunger. Last year, 49 million Americans had trouble putting food on the table, according to a federal survey released Monday. This represents the most Americans going hungry since the U.S. Agriculture Department started keeping track of those numbers in 1995. The news was fairly good for Virginia, which had the fourth lowest rate of food insecurity and the second lowest rate of childhood hunger. But 201,000 Virginia children lacked access to enough healthy food in 2008. And experts expect next year's report to find even more hungry children. "The outlook isn't great, but we'll just have to see," said Sophie Milam, senior domestic policy analyst for the hunger group, Bread for the World. Last year, the recession coupled with spiking food prices hurt many families. This year, unemployment continues to rise. The numbers and projections fit the local hunger scene, Reschick said. A Feeding America study should have more local numbers. That study surveyed area food pantries this summer and fall. Food bank employees have a 300-page draft of the study but haven't had time to review it. "We're too busy dealing with turkeys," said Oya Oliver, director of the Fredericksburg Area Food Bank. The agency packs boxes for about 1,200 senior citizens each month. And its 90 member organizations feed about 5,000 people every month. But Oliver and Reschick said the community's generosity will ensure a happy Thanksgiving for many area residents who otherwise would have empty tables. "I know people are hungry 365 days a year, but on Thanksgiving everybody is cooking a turkey, cooking a special meal but our people who are hungry can't do that," Oliver said. "We want to do something special for them. And it really puts a smile on their face." Amy Flowers Umble: 540/735-1973
Date published: 11/19/2009
count me in
(posted by
homercles82
, Nov. 19, 2009 3:42 pm)
for at least 2 birds.
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