It’s hard to imagine thousands of our neighbors could be wondering where their next meal will come from in a country as wealthy as ours and in a state as small as Vermont. However, in a recent study of Vermont households conducted by the USDA, more than 88,000 Vermonters were found to be food insecure. Twenty-nine thousand of them are children under the age of 18. More and more people are finding it harder to make ends meet. In fact, in the last year, food shelves and meal sites around the state have reported a 35-40% increase in the requests for emergency food.
Last year, the Vermont Foodbank distributed more than 8 million pounds of food to as many as 86,000 Vermonters in need of food assistance. Food from grocery stores, Vermont farms and producers, manufacturers, restaurants, bakeries, colleges, food drives, gardens and individuals is collected, sorted, and distributed to a network of 280 food shelves, meal sites, shelters, senior centers, and after-school programs each day.
But we can’t do the work of fighting hunger alone. We need YOU! There are ways to get involved in the fight against hunger—find what works for you:
- Consider volunteering with your church, civic, or school group.
- Hold a fund drive or an event to benefit the Foodbank.
- Make a donation in honor of a friend or loved one.
- Write a letter to an elected official explaining that hunger is important to you.
- Become a fan of the Foodbank on Facebook
- Shop in support of the Vermont Food Bank
Hunger is not a natural part of our society. There was a time when this country had far less hunger that it does today. Please join us in the fight against hunger. Together we create a Vermont where everyone has enough to eat!
Consider shopping to support the Vermont Food Bank and join in the fight against hunger.
