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
Friday, October 15, 2010
Sunday, October 10, 2010
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…….
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…….
Friday, October 1, 2010
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.
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.
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