Food for thought
Is enough ever enough?
If you saw the Food Source's January newsletter, you might have had to squint to read parts of it. It was a nice problem to have. We actually had so many donors to thank, we had to reduce the font size to fit them all in. (If you didn't see it, you can find it and other past issues online at www.kawarthalakesfoodsource.ca.)
In December — always the busiest time of year for donations — all kinds of schools, businesses, churches, clubs, organizations and individuals donated thousands of food items. The Ontario Provincial Police's Transport Unit collected more than a thousand food items along the route of the Santa Claus Parade. A challenge by the local real estate association brought in almost as many donations. Farmers donated lamb and beef.
There were boxes and boxes of donations stacked up in the Food Source's warehouse and stored in the refrigerator and freezer. It was a great feeling, and it was all thanks to the generosity of the local community. A job well done.
Except that it's not done. Ever. And sometimes that unsettling reality gets lost in the warm fuzzies and well-deserved congratulations. The job of collecting, buying and distributing food to those in need never stops, for the simple reason that everyone needs to eat every day.
It's essential for the Food Source to celebrate the compassion and dedication of so many people, and that's what we strive to do all the time, with thank-you letters, notes of appreciation in our newsletter and symbolic leaves on our donor tree. But along with the heartfelt thanks, a reality check may be in order.
Let's take one of our biggest sources of donations, the annual fall food drive co-ordinated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Dozens of volunteers go door to door in Lindsay, collecting food to deposit with drivers who then return it to the church for more volunteers to sort. That one extraordinary morning generates roughly 10,000 items for the Food Source.
Those 10,000 items last about half a month. In two weeks, it will all be gone, picked up by member agencies to give to hungry people all over Kawartha Lakes. And it doesn't even fill the whole need — those food banks will supplement what the warehouse provides with donations from their own supporters and items they've purchased.
In the month of November, for instance, the Food Source helped feed 2,047 people through its member agencies, distributing 25,974 items to public food banks, food cupboards at social agencies, school breakfast programs and others. In the case of a public food bank, that means about three days' worth of food per client.
Yes — the well-stocked warehouse you often see in our publicity material warms the heart and does enormous good for local families, seniors and those on disability or social assistance. But if you check back in just a few days, you'll see that bounty reduced to empty boxes and bare shelves, all of which need to be filled if the Food Source is going to meet the need of distributing 20,000 to 25,000 items to its member agencies every single month.
Everyone at the Food Source is incredibly grateful for the continuing support of our generous community. But if you've ever found yourself wondering whether there's ever enough on our shelves, just picture those 20,000 items of food going out the door every month and the answer should become pretty clear.
Nancy Payne chairs the Kawartha Lakes Food Source’s communications and public education committee. If you’re interested in donating to KLFS or becoming a volunteer, call 324-0707.
Past articles in pdf format
February 2012 - Is enough ever enough?
December 2011 - Food or cash: Which to give?
November 2011 - The Best Way to Help
October 2011- Paying it forward in Coboconk
Sept 2011 - Keeping compassion in the election
Aug 2011 - Providing more than just food
June 2011 - Providing Food and Dignity in Dunsford
May 2011 - When Good Donations Go Bad
Mar 2011 - Cooking Smart with Support from the Food Source
Jan 2011 - Farmers Feed the whole Community
Nov 2010 - So Many Chances To Give
Oct 2010 - Faith in Action in Woodville
July 2010 - Home - and hungry- for the holidays
June 2010 - Those who can, cook
May 2010 - Omemee’s Hunger-Fighting Team
Apr 2010 - Thank those Volunteers!
Mar 2010 - College students get hungry, too
Feb 2010 - Merry Christmas! (All Year Long)
Dec 2009 - This One’s for Scrooge
Nov 2009 - A Gift that Gives Three Times
Oct 2009 - A Hand Up in Fenelon Falls
Sept 2009 - A Bountiful Harvest
June 2009 - Get into the holiday spirit
May 2009 - Hunger awareness begins at home
Apr 2009 - Confessions of a Bag Lady
Mar 2009 - Empowering People to Dream Again
Feb 2009 - Hunger and health / How do you stay healthy when you’re hungry?
Jan 2009 - Are you hungry again?