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The Taskforce for the Hungry is a committee of concerned volunteers appointed by the Bishop with the charge to coordinate and develop plans to assist the hungry in the Diocese. Among the ways this is done is through financial assistance to food pantries and kitchens. Last year, the task force distributed more than $35,000 to 15 different food banks, kitchens, pantries, and lunch programs. Last year, these programs fed more than 200,000 people. More than 35,000 were fed in August alone and more than half of them were children under the age of 14. Another 14 percent of those fed were senior citizens. Every day on the Earth more than 800 million people go hungry. There are an estimated 12 million American children in that number. In 1999, the Diocesan Convention established November as A Month of Sharing One Loaf to raise awareness in the Diocese of the problem of hunger and what the Church's response is and could be to the problem. About three-fourths of the congregations in the Diocese participate in some way with feeding the hungry through donations of time, money, and services. Members of the task force are willing to come to your congregation or group to talk about ways you can be involved in helping feed the hungry. What can you do? Food pantries and food banks need your donations of time, money, and food items and non-food items. Especially wanted are: - Toilet paper
- Paper towels
- Soap and shampoo
- Detergent
- Canned fruit and fruit juices
- Canned meats
- High-protein foods
- Breakfast cereal
- Powdered milk
- Baby food
- Instant breakfast drink mix
- Ensure
- Plastic storage banks
You can also help in these ways: - Make up small bags of personal hygiene items
- Give food in the summer months when children are out of school and do not have access to free food programs
- Purchase strong grocery bags for persons without transportation.
- Volunteer at your local food bank or soup kitchen
- Volunteer to drive people to and from soup kitchens and food pantries
- Volunteer to pick up food from food banks and other donors to deliver to church food pantries and soup kitchens.
- Take advantage of "buy one-get one free" offers at grocery stores, buying one for you and donating the second item to a food bank.
- Use donations of non-perishable foodstuffs and canned foods as admission to church events.
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