In Oklahoma Still Hungry and Needy

Well, I am totally moved to Oklahoma (Tulsa area) from Arkansas, and am now helping at two places that help with the hurting and hungry. First there is ‘Standing in the Gap’ http://www.sitgowasso.org/ which is an organization in Owasso, Ok that ministers by redistributing food to the needing and hungry in Owasso, supported by multiple sources. Please read about them at the web site referenced above.

We will get food sometimes on Pallets like that below, where myself and many others will remove and sort the cans/boxes/ sacks/ or other packed items, then pass them out at an event held once a month in Owasso.

 

Also, I am involved in Skiatook, with Guts church (www.gutschurch.com) an event called Friday Groceries North (North means Skiatook) This is still small and in the beginning stages, so we only have from 10 to 40 hungry folks per week, but if there are hungry and hurting, I sure hope to be there to help.

Here is some pictures of where we were getting the USDA food ready to feed about 500 folks at one county in Arkansas. The people received one of each sack plus a sack that was on the Frozen truck. Not that the truck was frozen, but rather it had frozen food in the back that was bagged. It is all the same work, just not as many people so far. But who is to say what will happen in the future.

what are we to do?

Our government it seems is working on a bill about how loud commercials on TV can be. All the while there are about 50,000,000 Americans that live in poverty.

Think in your mind for a moment of 6 people you know, not your best friends, and not people from your work. People you know that you may see going to the store, or who delivers your mail. If you can picture 6 people, chances are that one of them is living in poverty today. It does not matter where you live in America - Arkansas, Texas, New York, California, or where-ever. People need help!

What can I do?

Figure out someone less fortunate than yourself, and invite them and their family over for a meal. Get a bucket of chicken, a pizza, or actually cook something for them and yourself. Try this with someone you may not know too well. That way you can help feed people and make new friends. Give someone who does not have a car a ride to the store, or somewhere. I do not think you should fund someone for life, just help them with something, or help them advance a little in life. God is not impressed with how big or how nice of a car you have, but with whom you gave a ride to.

Call a food pantry in your town, or a salvation army, and ask about volunteering one day, one day per month, or something. Caution: It will open your heart.

There are two basic items people that are hurting need: food and clothing. Many big companies are trying to help out today. Some by having drives for food or clothing or something. Some are donating based upon what they sell or have. One thing that remains needed is helping hands.

Hand-outs or Helping hands.

There are some families that have received help and their kids and/or grandkids are now receiving help. This can be attributed to multiple factors. I will not write about this at this time, but I will say that helping out can be a generational thing as well. You can help by putting generosity in your offspring’s heart. One great thing to see is a family of two or three generations helping! That is so much better than seeing multiple generations getting stuff.

Thanks,

Mark

The Amazing Race (no not the Television show)

The race I am talking about is about getting help to those in need. According to multiple sources there are over 40 million people that need help in just the United States. The United States is the wealthiest country on earth. So how could we have so many hungry, and so many that live in Poverty? According to Steve Gutrow (President and CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs) "The country has turned upside down. Rather than deal with our problems, we have settled into the bi-annual free-for-all called 'Attack Mercilessly those you Oppose' " - the elections.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ entitled 43 million reasons for Congress to get Serious.  He goes on to say, and I agree " Poverty is not a partisan issue, but a moral one. To see poverty and do nothing is to contribute to its tragic impact on our civilization."

Or how about www.startribune.com/templates/fdcp?/1289240445046 ? that talks about "Number of food stamps are souring in Minnesota. From 381,000 to 444,000 in one year, a numer that surpasses the poulation of Minneapolis"?

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2010/11/04/some-14-of-us-uses-food-stamps/tab/print/ says 14% Rely on Food Stamps.  It also show states.

http://www.beaconnews.suntimes.com/ "It's getting harder to help the poor" talks about the homeless shelters as well as food banks. The Northern Illinois food bank has seen a 65% increase in need since 2005.

The Chicago Tribune www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-in-foodspikes,0,2639137,printstory talks about Indianopolis seeing food purchases occuring at or after midnight of the day when food stamp money is updated. This changed when the people were put in place and the counters were open.

www.kansascity.com/2010/11/10/v-print/2418879/hunger-a-troubling-companion-for-many-children/
 Wow! "The little boy who came to school hungry said they had run out of milk for cereal at his house.
Someone failed to put it on the shopping list?  No, his Northland family had also run out of money for milk, recalled Kristen Smith.  And after getting the boy something to eat, she checked with his Mom.
It was an increasingly familiar story: Dad was out of work and rent and utilities and other have-to-bills, there just wasn't enough money.  She told me, "Not only do we not have milk, we're eating the last we have in the pantry.  When people think of hunger, that's not what they think of."

You need to read this one. I hope I have the address right.

When "Evangelical Christians spend more money on dog or pet food each year than helping their needy neighbors , There Is A Problem!" It is up to us America. That is The Race!

Here in NorthEast Arkansas, the last three towns or counties we were in saw from 14 to over 20 Percent new families come to get food. It has to be that there are jobs going away or our economy is worsening one way or another. Let's help somehow.

In Northeast Arkansas

We could see Missouri if we looked over the hills and trees just about two or three miles to our North from Clay County, Arkansas. This little place was nestled in the hills, in trees, hillside grass, rocks ,and with the warmest people who truely care for others. I was in a town and area that is my favorite to go to for my handing out of food. They have 240 residents in their town, nearly all (almost 70% are married own their homes and have a median income of less than $24,000, yet they gather and give out food to 400 or so familes from surrounding areas in Clay County.  This county also has two other locations in that give out to 300 or so more familes. We had one person tell us that he had been talking with some of the County officials who stated that a larger number of people have been signing up for anything the government could help with today as compared to the past couple of years. I don't have the exact number of familes we helped this week for Clay County, I just know it was larger than last time.

POLITICS

I don't know how you stand, I know I desperately dislike all politicians equally, but this is what I know. The people who complained about the bad times the previous administration left us and voted them out are now complaining about the current administration. Now they are wanting to vote them out. Well, I think they just like to complain. It is funny to me. When Republicans are in office, they mess things up and Democrats scream they can do it better, When Democrats are in office, they mess things up and Republicans scream they can do it better, Well, duh?!?

It will take Me and You to fix things......

ECONOMY

We lose our "making things" jobs to other countries like China, Mexico, Indonesia, and so forth and wonder why the economy is so bad. However, we as Americans want to save money so we buy things made in China, Mexico, Indonesia, and so forth and wonder why our jobs go there. Hey what would happen if we bought American made products??????

American made products equal American jobs equals a better American Economy!!!!

Bye for today

Why??

I have been asked, "Why I do things". Why this, why that, so many times. One answer I have is WHY NOT?  Why do I hand out food to those needing food? Who else would?

I didn’t plan on this. In fact I planned to be on the road traveling now, but it is what it is. I have lived a very fortunate life. In fact, I can count 10 times that I should have, or could have, been dead. BUT I”M NOT!

My wife worked at the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas. After my stroke, She (We) decided she should quit and take care of me. (or watch over me) Since then she was offered a different and better position at the Food Bank.  After we discussed it, we decided to take 6 months for her to do the job, while she documents it and prepares it for someone else to take it over and do a good job at it.  All the while I would go with her. This is a 55 mile one way drive to get there every day. I go and help her with the USDA food distribution. As it turns out I help her give out the food to those who are low income, needing and hurting. I mostly pack, sack and hand out frozen food from the back of a refrigerated van or truck. It is meeting or mingling with the people that I found my niche or calling. It is not me. I also go once or twice a week, or as time works out, to a food pantry in Jonesboro to help carry out food as well. The “why” in this case is because there are people in need and while I cannot work at a normal job anymore, due to 3 strokes, I can still hand out sacks of food.

MISSION: What does this mean? a Passion? Many people work at or has many great causes in life. Cancer or health things, religious things, food, American made products -there are many great things to do.  Mine is food. I do not know how long I will do thi,s or if we will do something else in this area for other locations or not. But right now I can and so I will. It is a mission or a passion of mine. We all should be so fortunate to do something.

HEART: My wife and I have been married for 32 years now. While we are like most couples and have our differences and will argue from time to time, We have a similar heart for helping people in need. That is one thing that will keep us married a long long time. Well, that and our many kids and grandkids :)

CRAIGHEAD COUNTY

Last week the morning we headed in to take food to pass out in Craighead county in Arkansas, The news had VP Joe Bidden on and he said the Economy was getting better. So I figured we would have fewer people show up for food.  Not so, had over 500 families show up! So we must have a worse economy. Would our government and the news media lie to us?? Yep! I think so!

Our Economy, if you look at individual people is not getting better. While living in Owasso, OK, a northern suburb of Tulsa, my neighbor stated one day a couple of years ago that the Wal Mart parking lot was full, so you couldn’t tell him the economy was bad. I said he should go to West Tulsa at the Flea Market where many of the people were there just to sell their own stuff to be able to buy food if he wanted to see the real economy.

One person whom I trust told me that the people in office today would set things in motion to fix the economy, but it will take time. I asked “how many people will go hungry in that time?” Maybe that was mean. Oh well…….

More Hungry People

Every week I get to see and meet more and more people that struggle to get a grip on hunger and the eonomy. The last two weeks were in counties with 400 plus people waiting in line for hours waiting to get food. On some of my days I am not handing out for USDA, I go to help at a food pantry here in Jonesboro, that hands out to the needing without judging. That is something I do not like. Judgement. That is a big reason I like to work at this one. The lady that heads this one, talks to individuals one on one, and will double up on food when she detects the need. I really believe she can decerne the difference in needs. Once when I was there, a Man came in with his daughter and granddaughter. He said my daughter ande her child were hungry and he was unable to help them today. THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE AND DO THIS PEOPLE! Then, the other day a lady came in in tears, she said her husband had been laid off, there are very little jobs to be offered here, and her kids were starting to feel the hunger now. Sometimes, you have to know when to ask for help, and it can be the hardest part.

Enough of my soapbox. We did nearly 1000 people in two counties in the last 10 days. The further south in the Northeast part of Arkansas the more food for kids we gave out. I would think one of two things are happening here economically. Either the younger people are getting without jobs, or more and more grandparents are raising kids. In both cases the economy is worse there. And white, black, or hispanics have no bearing. They are pretty even accross the state. Once again I say that if we have that many hungry, needing and hurting people, the eonomony is not getting better in this area. Me and these people do not care or worry about wall street or stocks and bonds, we are worried about where the next meal comes from. As well as more than 40 million americans.

What I am wondering now is this: Since we have so many rice farmers in Arkansas, what if all farmers that owned 200 acres or more, ( I think this is most of them) would donate 1 acre per year to feeding Americans in need?  Some already do, and I am going to learn how many. Now I am not a omplete fool: I know for example there are people show up and get free food that does not need it, or they lie in order to get the food, and I still hand it out. However, if I can give to 1 person that needs it out of 10 or 100 that do not, I have still helped. I do think that most people are hungry that come out to these events, but some or not.

Feeding America one Family at a Time

I didn't mean to. If I had my way it wouldn't have happened. I left before daylight today to get here to the foodbank. I spent almost 30 years building a career that allowed me to start at a bright and early 9:30 or 10:00 am. that way I could sleep. Although I worked a lot until midnight or after, and occasionally at 5:30 or 6:00am I would get a phone call for help, usually I could sleep late. Now after 3 strokes, I help my wife here and get up early. I always thought it should be the other way around.... Oh well............


Hey, we gave out in another county, 430+ families there with well over 100 of the kids foods. TANF (Tempory Aid for Needy Families) is what it is called. We have a large one this week as well. It will be over 500 and closer to 600 Families. Feeding America, the nations largest domestic hunger relief organization, and who we are a part of, says that 1 in 6 Americans struggle with hunger. One can witness this at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in San Antonio, Tx, where men, women and children gather at the door on the first and thursdays of each month, that are not looking for God, they're looking for something to eat. Janet Drane, their volunteer Manager said they've had a food pantry for 25 years, and while it's been small, it has lately went from 10 families to 25 families. Lucia Russet at the advocy for Little Sisters of the Assumption Families Health Service in east Harlem, NY serves about 450 families per month. The USDA says this hunger is a big problem. 49 Million Americans are unsure of where they will find their next meal, which includes 17 million children, and 2.3 million seniors. What is surprising is that 36% live in households where at least 1 adult is working. "It used to be that one job was all you needed. The people we see now have 3 and 4 part time jobs and they're still on the edge financially." says St. Andrew's Drane. Vicki Escarra of Feeding America says 'This isn't just a poor person issue. Middle Americas, people with jobs, are having a tough time feeding their families.'



Some demographics:

Age of Clients that are Hungry:

0-5  9%
6-17 29%
18-64 55%
65+ 8%

Racial Background:

White 40%
Black 34%
Hispanic 21%
Other 9%

A good portion of the above is from http://www.time.com/.

More after we do the next county. It's hungry out there folks.

Thanks, Mark.