Crisis at food banks...

The news is startling.  According to NBC's story last night on the Nightly News, the demand for assistance across the nations' food banks have increased on average 20% - some as high as 50%.  Most of the NEW clients are considered "middle class".  During the holiday season, Southeast Idaho really pushes donations to the local food banks.  But within the last couple months, the need has increased and the projections are ghastly.  Thanx to the importing of oil and oil companies record profits, the staggering fuel increases are affecting EVERYONE!  (And to think I read on the internet MSNBC's Website only a few months ago that the increase in fuel costs weren't affecting anyone...that story writer should be strung up and flogged!)

Perhaps each of us are not in any position to donate to the food banks - which are in dire needs - here's what we can do.

Each time we go to the store, pick up a couple dollars of a storable food item(s) extra.  A bag of rice - a few cans of corn or tuna or soup - some powdered milk (ewwww) something.  I know my budget is stretched to the max, but I have a household of 5.  I do have about a months supply of food - it the grocery stores completely shut down, and nothing was available, we'd be ok for about a month.  It wouldnt be gourmet by any sense of the word; may not even be tasty...but we would survive. 

In this predominantly LDS community - its ironic that they've been preaching "1-Yr supply of Food Storage" for over 3 decades...And its not just food items...Bleach (to purify water) - Toilet paper - soap - If there were a REAL EMERGENCY ask yourself...what would you do?  What if there was a catastrophic earthquake here?  The roads crumbled; impassable?  No power?  No cell service?  Do your two way radios have batteries?  Does your family have an emergency plan?  Do you have an emergency medical kit?

Perhaps nothing that drastic will happen here in OUR LIFETIME - perhaps never...But the sad reality is that if you purchase a little extra STORABLE food while you can, should you really NEED it someday, you will have it and wont be adding to the Food Bank's crisis.

Of course, if you can donate - please do so.  Our neighbors, our friends, our co-workers are in need.