Shine The Light on Hunger - 3,831 pounds so far - still a ways to go

Gardner Sheffield keeps a close eye on the food collection trailer, the yellow food collection bucket, and the weather.  He called to say that with wintry mix in the forecast, we better empty the trailer, "Why don't I take half the food to Second Harvest Food Bank and half to Urban Ministry?"  With Second Harvest's partner agency demand up 75% this year and Urban Ministry's pantry overflowing at the moment, we made the executive decision to allocate 100% of this trailer load to Second Harvest. 

First the good news.  This installment weighed in at 943 pounds, bringing the Shine the Light on Hunger total so far to 3,831.  As of this moment, the food's been inspected, sorted, and is on its way to needy persons. 

Now the bad news:  nearly 50 million people -- including almost one child in four -- struggled last year to get enough to eat.  You can read how America's economic pain has brought on hunger pangs here.   After you finish that, get a copy of the USDA's report on food security (insecurity) in America).  Warning: it's not for the faint of heart, but go on and read it anyway.

In 2007, Friends of Lighted Christmas Balls in Sunset Hills collected 2,976 pounds of food. 

In 2008, we collected 4,000 pounds, up 34%, during a recession I might add. 

This year's goal is 10,000 pounds.  I don't know where we got a goal that's 2 1/2 times what we collected last year, but there it is. 

At 3,831 pounds we're not there yet, and that's where you come in.  We would love for you to gather up all the non-perishable food you can fit in your car, truck or backpack and come see the lights, and donate food here or here.  Tell your family, friends, and co-workers.  If you're retired and your home is a retirement center, fill at least one seat on the bus with non-perishable food.  If you run, get everyone in your running club to grab 2 cans of food and run to the yellow barrel or food collection trailer.  Just come and bring food.  You'll be glad you did. 

The trailer keeps on filling up

Here's a shot taken Sunday night of the trailer at 11pm.  Seeing the trailer and it's companion, the yellow barrel, fill up again and again has been a tremendous joy to each person who's helped redistribute the food to 2nd Harvest Food Bank of NW North Carolina and Greensboro Urban Ministry.  I'm sure each person who's left left a can, box, or bag in one of the collection points has felt the surprise joy of being connected with other persons, even strangers, with a common heart of kindness. 

While it was still daylight, Harold, a person who's worked in Sunset Hills yards for decades, and a man of few words, was out blowing leaves out of the gutter and around the trailer.  I was at the trailer rebalancing boxes and bags of food.  Harold saw me, cut off his leaf blower and peered inside the trailer.  A long pause later he said, "It's a wonderful thing to live in a town where there's so many people who want to do good and share with others." Wish I could say that's been my reaction for all of 2009.  Maybe hearing Horace's pronouncement will help me change that. 

Gardner called this morning as I was leaving for work.  I could hear the smile in his voice. He was already in Winston Salem and had already taken 870 pounds of food to 2nd Harvest.  Christmas Eve, Gardner and his son Daniel and my son in law Johnathan and my son Justin and I took all the food that had piled up, filled his car till the springs started sagging, then put the rest of it in my Suburban.  I told him I was taking what we loaded in my Suburban that night to Urban Ministry.  I did.  It weighed in at 742 pounds.  So far, we've taken 2,888 pounds of food to 2nd Harvest and Urban Ministry.  And the week's just starting. 

I love how The Message translates Proverb 19:17.  It says, “Mercy to the needy is a loan to God, and God pays back those loans in full.

It sure is a wonderful thing to live in a town where so many people who want to show mercy and do good.