Goldendale Sentinel Editorial

September was hunger awareness month; were you aware?

     It seems that the big news - the front page and top-story news, tends toward the negative. Just turn on the television, and you get your fill of head-on collisions, police chases, drug busts, murders, etc.
     OK, so let’s face it, that’s why people have police scanners in their home. They want to be the first to know the (bad) news...
     But that is not a complete picture of our community.
There are things that go on quietly behind the scenes, minus the fanfare, that are not to be publicized.      Things that mean a great deal to many of our residents.
     September was National Hunger Awareness month. Those who are not aware of that are likely those who do not face the question of hunger in a very real way.
     Oh, they may go four or five hours between meals and loudly exclaim, “I’m starving!” But there is no physical evidence to prove their claim.
     But as the economy strains, some who are on intimate terms with hunger, may go unheard, if it were not for programs endeavoring to address the issue on a local level.
     The Goldendale Food Bank and the Backpacks for Kids program are just two of them.
     The quantity of food distributed by the Food Bank varies from month to month, depending upon many factors. With all the expenses families have to go to for starting another school year, August disbursements were up. They gave out nearly 300 food boxes, each containing a three-day supply of food, typically containing dry beans or rice, canned vegetables and fruit, pasta, oatmeal, bread, beef jerky, ground turkey. This is supplemented by fresh fruit or produce, when available.
     There are also food disbursements available for special diabetic or low sodium diets.
All of this is dependent upon food and financial donations from the community.
     Throughout the year, service and civic organizations, schools and churches have pitched in and helped by holding food drives and even house-to-house collections.
     But as the weather turns cold and the holidays approach, more help is needed. Both in donations, and volunteers to distribute the food.
     Backpacks for Kids offers more than 100 school-age children in Goldendale and Wishram, a discreet method of taking food home for themselves and siblings, over the weekend or holiday.      These children may not have any other source of food available. Items needed are child-friendly, easy to access items that need no refrigeration.
     Local Girl Scout Troop 1943 will be heading out to local area businesses on Wednesday, Oct. 15, accepting monetary or food donations to fill their backpacks. The program is always happy to receive donations. Questions and comments can be answered by calling the WSU Extension office, at 773-5817.
     The Food Bank is located at 104 Simcoe Drive, and is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information on how you can help, call 773-5220.
     September may have been National Hunger Awareness month; why not make October “National Do Something About It” month?