I am grateful every day that our families have sufficient food and drink during the pandemic. We all still make an income, are healthy enough to go out to get food supplies, and have the supplies close by.
I am distressed to hear about people who cannot go out for their groceries or even afford food for their families. I worry about the local restaurants that are barely getting by and how it impacts so many things down the chain: their families, their employees, their suppliers, the sources of their supplies.
Collectively, we can fix this -- even in the smallest sense.
Take a look around your neighborhood and find the neighbors who are barely getting by. Bring food over or offer to buy groceries for them.
Search for the local restaurants that are not getting the foot traffic that it had before and order take out (and add that big tip).
Buy from farms and other source suppliers. A trip to the Farmer's Market helps the local farmers and there are so many websites of wonderful small agricultural businesses. (I've added a few at the end of this blog.)
Donate or take cans over to the local foodbanks. If you have a tree that is providing more fruit than you can eat or a prolific vegetable garden, donate the fruit and vegetables as well.
Finally, call or email your U.S. Senator and get this COVID Relief Bill passed. Our states need the funding to support the organizations that they've created to help families. In some areas, they are helping to fund the food drives as well.
I am grateful, too, that the farmers, distributors, retailers, restaurant owners and volunteers are hanging in there. They are committed to feeding us -- in some cases, in trying circumstances. We can show them our gratitude by helping as best we can.