This month’s column is being written during the aftermath of the storm ensuring that Hamilton County gets a White Christmas. It’s minus 7 degrees this morning, and the pantries are stocked for the Christmas weekend. The pantries are in use even today.
You see, hunger in its cruelty doesn’t care about the weather. Hunger doesn’t care that it’s the Christmas season either. Hunger is simply a fact of life for far too many of our neighbor’s.
This is the season of giving. We give because we care about the people in our lives, and we give to support our community, too. We are pleased to report that this month has been one of the most generous in our history. Between individual donations, the reverse advent program, and corporations running food collection programs, we have been blessed to receive thousands of meals in donations. Many of these contributions from the community have already made their way into pantries and then to neighbors in need. Many more meals will be deployed over the weeks ahead. This past month we exceeded 10,000 meals placed in pantries.
In Hamilton County, an ever-changing group of neighbors in need use Feeding Team pantries to supplement what they can obtain elsewhere. As a no-questions-asked food source, some neighbors use the pantries as the primary source of food for their families. This is a big challenge for Feeding Team, as we are designed to provide a few meals for many, rather than many meals for a few.
In the spirit of Christmas, your giving makes a tremendous difference in the lives of hundreds of people every week. We are thankful for your partnership with Feeding Team. We wish a Merry Christmas to our hosts, neighbors who use the pantries, volunteers, and donors (those known and unknown). May your holiday season be one of peace and joy. May your new year be filled with good health.
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With over 27,000 food-challenged neighbors in Hamilton County, FeedingTeam.org is a registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that provides outdoor 24/7/365 no-questions-asked free food pantries throughout the county.
The pantries exist to meet the food insecurity needs of gap families, neighbors who may not qualify for public assistance and could use a few meals before payday. The pantries serve as many food-challenged neighbors as possible, and our hearts are with those who, like my family, could not always make ends meet.
Thank you for embracing the pantries. We love serving with so many neighbors across Hamilton County. In future columns, we will share more stories about how your generosity served neighbors in times of need. The face of hunger in Hamilton County is not what you may think.
In practical terms, this straightforward way to help neighbors is having real impact on lives, families, and our communities. Thank you. A few meals can change the course of a person’s life. A can of green beans means so much more when you have nothing to feed your kids.
Would you like to get involved? Volunteer opportunities are available. We are evaluating new pantry locations. If you think you have a potential location, please contact us.
Mark and Lisa Hall are the Founders of Feeding Team. They may be reached at lisa@feedingteam.org and mark@feedingteam.org or by calling (317) 832-1123.