Every morning, I go to my local YMCA to go running. For the past few weeks, I've passed a collection box for the local food bank in the lobby on my way to the weight room. This morning, I dropped off five cans of green beans and five cans of SpaghettiO's (for the kiddos). It was such an easy and inexpensive way to give back. Canned foods range in price from $1-$3, but if you look for the generic brands, you can get cans for as low as 60 cents. I purchased all ten of my cans for roughly $7, which is almost as much as my Venti-Salted-Caramel-Mocha-Frappucino-With-An-Extra-Espresso-Shot costs at Starbucks. So, for one morning, I forewent my coffee and added to the collection box. Luckily, my local YMCA offers complimentary coffee to members, so I was able to have my coffee and help my community!
Hunger in the United States has become an increasingly prominent issue. Currently, one in four American families do not have the necessary funds to purchase enough food. This really hit home for me when I learned that my hometown of Winston-Salem, North Carolina is the hungriest city in the United States, with 34.8% of the population unable to afford sufficient food (http://www.thedailymeal.com/10-hungriest-cities-america). That means that some of my neighbors and friends are hungry, which made giving to the food bank that much more important. Wherever you are, someone is hungry. It may be the person that you pass on the street, a co-worker or classmate, or your best friend. With so much attention given to issues abroad, it is always important to remember that sometimes the people who need you most are in your own community. I encourage all of you to pick up an extra can of food the next time that you're at the grocery store, or grab a can from your pantry, and donate to your local food bank.
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