Hunger is a silent epidemic. 
Each year, more than 320,000 people seek food assistance in eastern Massachusetts alone.  They are the most vulnerable among us:  children and seniors.  They are people we know: our friends, neighbors, and colleagues.  They live in each and every one of our communities, and are quietly seeking help from the more than 600 member hunger-relief agencies in the nine counties and 190 cities and towns of eastern Massachusetts that receive food from The Greater Boston Food Bank.  

 

 

 

Hunger is a growing problem.
This fall, The Food Bank conducted a survey of some of its member food pantries and soup kitchens to assess the need for emergency food assistance in eastern Massachusetts. The survey revealed disquieting results, showing that the region’s hunger-relief organizations are struggling with the burdens of increased client loads and fewer food and monetary donations, among other challenges.  About 90 percent of the agencies have seen demand for food increase since September 2007, 60 percent of those saw demand increase 10 percent to 30 percent, and another 15 percent saw demand rise by up to 40 percent.

 

Hunger is solvable. 
There is more than enough food available, and The Food Bank is the critical link between those who have food to give and those who need it most.  More than 83,000 people benefit from the stable supply of nutritious food that The Food Bank distributes each and every week. 

Everyone has a role in ending hunger. 
All that The Food Bank does depends on the combined support of compassionate financial contributors, food donors, and more than 16,000 volunteers.   You can help today!   For every comment this post receives indicating it has been read, Tyson Foods, in partnership with Boston’s Social Media Breakfast, organized by Bob Collins of  SHIFT Communications,  will donate 100 pounds of food (up to a truckload full with 35,000 pounds) to The Greater Boston Food Bank.  Help fill the truck.  Comment here (even one-word comments are acceptable – BTW, since the comments are moderated, it might take a bit to get them up, but the comments WILL be posted). 

UPDATE:  The first truck was filled in less than two hours.  We’ve added another truck to the mix (probably can’t do more than that this time).  But if you continue to comment, we’ll donate up to two truckloads of food)

For more information about other ways you can become involved in the fight to end hunger, please visit www.gbfb.org or www.newfoodbank.org. 
 

Thanks to Beth Kanter and Bob Collins for bringing Tyson Foods into this effort.

 UPDATE #2.  The 2nd truck is full. Wish we could do more, but we need to help some other food banks around the country, too.  Thanks to all who read this post. Now go out and help your local food bank. In the Boston area, go to the Greater Boston Food Bank, or elsewhere around the U.S., visit Feeding America.