Desperate Need
So, it's probably common knowledge throughout my f-list by now that I volunteer at a food bank and free clinic here in the Phoenix area. We're part of a larger network of food banks called the St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance, and normally, we're ok. Not great - demand has skyrocketed and donations have dropped (we get no government grant money) - we've been barely hanging on by the skin of our teeth, but the point is that we've hung on.
In my time working there so far, I've met immigrants (from places ranging from Mexico to Iraq and beyond), former CEO's, homeless vets, "adults" who aren't even as old as me, and everyone in between. We have doctors, med students and nurses that drag themselves out of bed and away from a schedule that's already horrendously busy to help patients every weekend at the clinic, and do follow-up on their off-hours during the week.
We've run out of food and medical supplies before - it's nothing new. It's part of being a non-profit, sometimes you get so overwhelmed you have to shut down for a bit. But today?
Today was a whole new level.
We were out of food less than an hour after opening today. The main St. Mary's headquarters (where we always refer people when our stock gets depleted) had to have the police come out to help keep the peace today because things got so overwhelming for them. They stopped taking referrals and being able to even help people about halfway through the workday today.
This economy is tough - we all know that, and I know better than many people just what a monumental struggle it is to simply pay the rent and feed yourself in times like these. I'm not taking it lightly when I ask this - I know we're all struggling, but please:
Take a moment to help families in need this holiday season.
If you don't know of any good place to start in your own area, I humbly suggest the one where I work. We always need donations.
Hunger doesn't take holidays, after all.
In my time working there so far, I've met immigrants (from places ranging from Mexico to Iraq and beyond), former CEO's, homeless vets, "adults" who aren't even as old as me, and everyone in between. We have doctors, med students and nurses that drag themselves out of bed and away from a schedule that's already horrendously busy to help patients every weekend at the clinic, and do follow-up on their off-hours during the week.
We've run out of food and medical supplies before - it's nothing new. It's part of being a non-profit, sometimes you get so overwhelmed you have to shut down for a bit. But today?
Today was a whole new level.
We were out of food less than an hour after opening today. The main St. Mary's headquarters (where we always refer people when our stock gets depleted) had to have the police come out to help keep the peace today because things got so overwhelming for them. They stopped taking referrals and being able to even help people about halfway through the workday today.
This economy is tough - we all know that, and I know better than many people just what a monumental struggle it is to simply pay the rent and feed yourself in times like these. I'm not taking it lightly when I ask this - I know we're all struggling, but please:
Take a moment to help families in need this holiday season.
If you don't know of any good place to start in your own area, I humbly suggest the one where I work. We always need donations.
Hunger doesn't take holidays, after all.