Thanks for this summary Peterr. Heartbreaking as it is to know this is happening, we still need to know in order to fight it and help those without.

Thanks, Peterr.
What are some of the best foodstuffs for individuals to obtain/contribute? Are cash donations more efficient than foodstuffs?
Sad to say, I’m not an expert at the food donation thing…and those are the questions that seem to keep me from doing anything.
FWDiva

Our local food bank (Feed America, used to be Second Harvest) always asks for money. They also like to get large containers of cereal (usually in bags), large peanut butter, crackers, etc. Canned goods are great. Not anything fresh – like fruit.

With apologies for bad humor carried forward from previous thread — Do any of the food banks accept Redfish?

Would you wish that kind of troll-dreck on your worst enemy?! Imagine the GI distress after swallowing that shyte!
FWDiva

Thanks.
I just want to do whatever has the biggest impact per $ spent, since my resources are more than a bit limited at the moment, too.
FWDiva

A lot of the markets here have big barrels for you to put your goods in for various food banks. I wish that all of them had those. I like to just pick up a few things and toss them in as I leave the store.

Here in WA, the problem is the same.

“The major increase we’ve seen is new clients that have never had to go to food banks before,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s definitely all those people who’ve been losing their jobs.”

Usually, donations of food can be anything that’s non-perishable. Cash buys fresh produce or refrigerated items. Both are needed, so whatever you can do will have an impact, FD.

Heartbreaking. Thank you peterr.

Thanks, OtherWA.
I’m in North King Co. where are you?
Note to self: look for donation barrel on the way in to shop.
FWDiva

DC Food banks and kitchens

I’m in southwest WA, near the OR border.

Same sitch in Sacto, less foods, more needy and hungry families.

On another note, but a progressive one, here’s some positive oriented thoughts about where we stand as progressives.

Hope Rages On

My dear retired FIL is on the board of the local soup kitchen and volunteers there twice a week.
I asked him about the current demand and he said it is up more than 100%, lots of families and new people he’s never seen before.
I’m unemployed right now (hope to change that by an offer next week?) but volunteering there is a humbling experience and helps me put my currently crappy situation into perspective.
But a soup kitchen as wonderful as it is, isn’t enough.
Our “government” needs to get its act together, stop bailing out banks and funding great wars and small wars and start taking care of its human resources.
No better place to start than universal healthcare, which would give an enormous boost to the economy at large.

Not only wars, large and small, but foreign aid. I really like being able to help other countries but we could take a small portion of that and help Americans. No, I’m not an isolationist, but I am very concerned about right here, right now. Was reading the other day that there are now female vets homeless and living on the streets. We are going to have so many when the troops start coming home for real.

How much do we spend on foreign aid? People think, on average, it’s 24%. In reality, less than 1% of our budget, or 25 cents per American per year, goes to foreign aid.

Whereas more than half our budget goes to the military in some way.

My understanding is that food banks can make a dollar go a lot further than you can, by virtue of buying wholesale and in bulk. So if you’re going to be giving or spending money, it’s probably better to give it to them.

On the other hand, if cash is tight but you’ve got excess (non-expired) cans on your shelves, they’d certainly appreciate them.

Hello OtherWA. I’ve worked for the Oregon Food Bank, in Portland just across the river from you for the last 13 years. WE serve the state of Oregon and SW Washington (Clark County). Here’s a list from our web site, under the heading Most Wanted Foods:
http://www.oregonfoodbank.org/
Oregon Food Bank needs these nutritious foods:
*canned meats (i.e., tuna, chicken, salmon)
*canned and boxed meals (i.e., soup, chili, stew, macaroni and cheese)
*canned or dried beans and peas (i.e., black, pinto, lentils)
*pasta, rice, cereal
*canned fruits
*100 percent fruit juice (canned, plastic or boxed)
*cooking oil

Another thing to be mindful of is soap, diapers and cleaning products, as these cannot be purchased with food stamps.

Yes, the burden on food pantries (they serve clients directly) and food banks (regional coordinating agencies that serve food pantries and do a lot of advocacy work aimed at getting funding to meet the need and pass legislation to relieve hunger) is increasing, so we certainly know that the economy is really struggling.

I’d suggest the Stop Hunger Warehouse in Vancouver (WA) as a place you can help.