Hunger: What can you do?

February 1, 2011

12:00 AM

Barry Forde of Golden Harvest says when you’re looking to address rural hunger, you need to know “there’s no silver bullet.” But he quickly adds there is plenty that people can do. “Everybody has to believe in their value to their fellow human being."

Forde says there are so many ways to help, that there’s no reason you can’t do something if you have the desire. “If you can’t find any work to do,” he says, “call me.” Here are some ways you can help:

Talk about it. Just by reading this article, learning a little more about hunger, then bringing it up in conversation, Forde says you can make people aware of an often overlooked problem. “There needs to be that realization that hunger exists, really exists, in South Carolina.”

Round up. If it’s an option offered by your local co-op, consider participating in Operation Round Up. Your monthly power bill can be rounded up to the next dollar and the difference goes to support local community programs including Meals on Wheels, food banks, local food pantries and soup kitchens.

Donate food or money. A few canned items help feed a family; a few dollars can do even more. Food banks welcome both— though they point out that with their buying power, they can make your money stretch seven times farther than you can when you purchase food items on your own.

Volunteer. At the local level, your volunteer hours can make a huge impact on rural communities. Your efforts might help your local pantry open that extra day, Forde says. Food banks, with their large inventories and multiple programs, can also use volunteers.Last year, Golden Harvest relied on 70,000volunteer hours to provide services.

Sponsor a mobile pantry. It costs $500 for a mobile pantry stop, says Jay Parler of Harvest Hope. You, your office, your church or your community organization can make more of these stops possible through sponsorship.

Organize a drive. Food banks tend to get a lot of donations around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Demand for food, however, remains steady year-round, so food drives organized in non-peak months are especially appreciated.

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Gardeners, share your bounty

One of the cruel ironies of rural hunger is that families go without food in the middle of some of the state’s most fertile agricultural areas. If you grow a garden at your home, you may be able to donate extra produce to your local food pantry.

Shirley Watson works with two gardeners in Bennettsville who bring fresh-picked produce to Bread of Life pantry during the summer months, an arrangement she and the growers have worked out directly.

Ample Harvest is a national nonprofit that offers a place for growers and local pantries to connect. Even if you can’t find your local pantry on their website, www.ampleharvest.org, you can find helpful tips there for how to set up a donation arrangement near you.