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Two weeks ago, our Wednesday night program was a panel discussion about the historic Harrington neighborhood and community in the general vicinity of the part of the Island we know by its modern landmark, Benny’s Red Barn. Residents of the community shared the history of the Black community as they lived it and learned it from their ancestors. One of the panelists described growing up in that community by saying, “Even when we were broke, we weren’t poor.” He explained that people never went hungry in the community, even during hard times. Someone had something to share or work to offer in exchange for food. People took care of each other until they got back on their feet.
I’d like to think that we live in such a community on a larger scale, but it’s not always so. Many support those in need when they know it, but many more will have to take an active role to truly live into such an ideal. Especially with the uncertainty of what will happen to SNAP funding on November 1. With the ongoing government shutdown, one of the many casualties will be the lifeline that one in eight Americans relies on for food subsidy assistance through the SNAP benefits program. The reliance on such systems has grown in recent years, but it has become essential for ensuring that America’s poorest citizens, many of them children, have food to eat. Combined with earlier budget reductions, the systems we have in place to support people who are hungry and/or poor among our neighbors have been strained beyond anything I can remember. This potential funding issue, if not resolved quickly, could be catastrophic.
We’ve seen the same rising demand and strain in the places Christ Church is involved with feeding people. Backpack Buddies has been spending noticeably more on food as the availability of resources has waned, leaving only retail options for some food. Our door ministry is giving away more than ever, and we give it all away in a single day with a phone that rings off the hook. Faithworks’ Sparrow’s Nest has seen its demand at the food pantry jump over the last 18 months from 300 families a month to 900 families. The St. Athanasius Feed My Sheep food pantry has faced a similar rising demand for services and food. The need is great and getting greater all the time. Any interruption to SNAP benefits will make things even more challenging.
I can’t fix the broken systems of our nation that have caused another government shutdown, any more than I can fix the systems that allow poverty and hunger to grow among our neighbors. The complexity of the world and its people is beyond my ability to understand, let alone bring into order. What I can do, however, is help the neighbor who is within reach. We all can. As we close October and enter November, we must watch for those who need our help and offer as much as possible. This is a first Sunday coming up, which is our traditional food collection week every month. Please bring physical donations as you can, and we’ll deliver them. Breakfast cereals and canned pastas are always needed. Staples like peanut butter, boxed macaroni, and other boxed meals are also popular. Anything helps.
For those who can do more, donating to support feeding ministries is vital, too. As federal and state funding diminishes, it is increasingly the private sector – you and me – who will determine whether people go hungry. Options for support include Backpack Buddies, Manna House, Second Harvest, Sparrow’s Nest, the St. Athanasius food pantry, and many others. There is no one right place to send your gifts – they will go to good use at any of those organizations.
It’s not just people who are broke. Even if we can fix systems across the land with time, people are hungry in the short term. We can learn to care for each other and not let poverty mean hunger for a whole segment of our community. If we need more encouragement, Matthew’s Jesus reminds us: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink… Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
