DC area food banks are overwhelmed by demand

[LiberalEsto]

The front page of today's Washington Post carried a chilling reminder of how bad things are getting, even in wealthy DC suburbs.

The Post reports that bread lines are becoming common. About 3,000 people lined up for groceries and other items last week in North East DC. In Loudoun County, Virginia, the richest county in the U.S., a local food pantry is getting ready to distribute 2,000 Thanksgiving dinners to the needy -- something that's never happened there before this year.

Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/21/AR2010112104067.html
"Thanksgiving need at area food pantries reaches record levels"

I am horrified. How can anyone who has a conscience and a little extra money to spare even eat their turkey dinner when so many are suffering? My church has been collecting food donations for Germantown HELP in Maryland for years, but HELP needs so much more to meet the needs of poor and working families, right here in Montgomery County, MD, one of the wealthiest counties in the U.S. This is not Detroit or Appalachia or the poorest part of Washington DC, this is a reality right here in our affluent suburbs. I can scarcely imagine how much worse it is in other parts of the country experiencing higher levels of unemployment.

It would be "nice" if some members of Congress, and people in the White House, read this article and start tackling the problem in a far greater measure than has been done so far.

Heck, I don't want "nice," I want action. Period. Fuck the deficit. Fuck the Pentagon budget. Fuck "bipartisan compromise".

Hunger is not bipartisan.

We can't afford to have people starving just miles from the Capitol, or anywhere in the U.S.

I'm donating money and buying groceries for our local Manna Food Center in Rockville today. I hope those of you who can, will do likewise in your community. And if you have a moment, please call your member of Congress and demand that they read the Post article and do something pro-active ASAP.

[jtrockville]

1. I'm a recurring doner to Manna.

But I might make a special extra donation this season.

[LiberalEsto]

2. That's great!

They do a good job.
Happy Thanksgiving

[jtrockville]

3. Same to you, neighbor.

Yes, Manna is marvelous.