VALDOSTA —
Imagine waking up with an empty belly, stomach cramps, and feeling lightheaded — and having no way to make that feeling go away because there is no food in the house to speak of.
Hunger, or more correctly, food insecurity, affects millions of Americans, and thousands of south Georgians. And more often than not, the individuals most affected are the elderly and children, who are disproportionately represented in hunger statistics. It’s estimated that nationwide, nearly 21 percent of all children live in poverty, nearly 9 percent of those 65 and older live in poverty, and food insecurity affects more than 50 million Americans.
Despite the assistance available to families, such as SNAP (formerly the food stamp program), free school lunches, and WIC (Women, Infants, and Children’s program), there are still many meals missed by those living in food insecure households. Second Harvest of South Georgia does its best to help fill in the gaps for children and adults, providing food boxes for families in need, but the need is growing greater with each passing year.
Second Harvest is sponsoring Make a Difference Day Saturday and they are still in need of volunteers. They need individuals who will make a difference in the lives of others who live around them, work around them, wait on them in restaurants, fix their cars, are taught in local classrooms, and who are in need of a helping hand.
If you are interested in making a difference Saturday from 8 a.m. until noon, contact Second Harvest and volunteer your time to help sort, box, clean, stack, and any other task they may assign. You can go online to www.valdostafoodbank.org or call the agency at (229) 244-2678.
What We Think
Make a difference Saturday
- What We Think
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Thoughts on graduation
Graduation ceremonies reflect how life marches on. For the students receiving their diplomas and degrees, graduation is a culmination of the majority of their lives’ work.
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Thumbs up, thumbs down
THUMBS UP: To Dr. John Gaston, retiring dean of Valdosta State University’s College of the Arts. For the past 10-plus years, Gaston has worked to build a more interconnected program with various artistic and communications departments working together. Given that you are likely to see one College of the Arts department collaborating with another during events is proof of Gaston’s success.
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On the go this weekend
Take a breath.
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Sharing the roads with motorcycles
With the recent pleasant temperatures and sunny skies, the number of motorcycles on area roads has increased.
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Thank your local law enforcement today
Today, May 15, was designated Peace Officers Memorial Day back in 1962 when President John F. Kennedy was in office.
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Visit musical roots this weekend
Beginning Saturday, May 18, Nashville, Ga., will be hosting a special Smithsonian exhibit, “New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music.” The exhibit will continue through the end of June and Nashville has done a tremendous job in promoting and planning for the exhibit.
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Happy Mother’s Day!
A few years ago, a television commercial asked, Who first believed in you? Many folks may have instinctively answered by simply saying, Mom.
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Thumbs up
THUMBS UP: To mail workers, volunteers and food bank staff for gathering food for the annual Stamp Out Hunger postal food drive today. A plastic bag designated for canned goods and other non-perishable food items should have arrived in your mailbox earlier this week. If you haven’t already, take a few moments to fill the bag with food and hang from your mailbox. If you didn’t receive the special Stamp Out Hunger bag, any plastic bag filled with food will do. This food drive helps feed thousands of South Georgians annually. Valdosta-Lowndes County often donates more food than nearly all other cities and counties in Georgia.
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Celebrating nurses
She is considered the founder of modern nursing so it seems only natural that National Nurses Week would include Florence Nightingale’s birthday.
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Helping the hungry: Mail it in!
Valdosta-Lowndes County continues revealing its generous spirit.
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Thoughts on graduation
