Saturday, December 6, 2014

Charity begins at home

"Charity begins at home" is one of the most misused quotes of all times so who am I to use it correctly. Like all the others who misuse it, I am going to use it to mean that there is hunger everywhere but it is much closer at home.  This is day three of the Effectively Human blog - web food drive started by M. J. Joachim to increase awareness of this growing need. 

Food banks nationwide are dealing with an enormous task to feed the hungry. Some of them limit the daily allotment of food to the first 25 people in line. What gets media attention is the Thanksgiving and Christmas meals provided to families but the day to day operation goes unnoticed. 

This is a very personal subject to me and I don't tell people that we have been one of those people at number 26 and were turned away. For a few short months, food was an issue. We have been blessed and are now in a position to give back but we know what it's like to worry how to provide food for the family.  

Riverside California Free Food Sources is a website listing all the places in Riverside County, California where families can go to get food. All of these places welcome donations of food or money. 

Giving can be even easier of you have kids in school. Participate in the school's food drive. My child raided the pantry a couple of weeks ago and filled a box with canned and packaged goods. He doesn't remember when food was hard to come by but has a giving heart. 

One a personal note, a heartfelt THANK YOU goes to all those people who work tirelessly to provide food. They spend hours sorting food, packing boxes, and soliciting for donations. It's a monumental task trying to keep enough food on hand. But even more so, thank you for your loving hearts that cheerfully deal with the people who do not want to be there asking for a handout.

There are children starving worldwide but there are children who are going hungry in your own neighborhood. Please help feed them because charity begins at home. 

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