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Food bank needs helpers of all ages
A Times Editorial
Published August 31, 2006
Life is getting tougher for low- and middle-income Floridians. The growing number of people seeking help at food banks, feeding centers and shelters is a sure indication of hard times. The people who operate the Religious Community Services food bank in Clearwater see that trend, but are grappling with an additional crisis: They can't get enough volunteers to do the work of operating the busy agency. Like many local charitable organizations, the RCS food bank has depended heavily on retirees to fill its volunteer jobs. But now, about half of the food bank's volunteers have either died, entered nursing homes, or are no longer physically able to perform the necessary tasks. And younger people are not flocking to the food bank to fill the gaps in the volunteer ranks. The food bank has some paid staff, who are working harder and longer to try to keep up, but hiring more employees isn't a great option. That's because the food bank has been hit by the same rising costs, for items such as electricity and insurance, that are driving more struggling families to its door. At the same time, donations have fallen off. Money is tight. The food bank needs enough helpers to collect and distribute food efficiently, because some 3,000 to 4,000 people depend on the organization for food every month. "Ninety percent of the people we serve are the working poor," food bank outreach director Jamia Austin told the St. Petersburg Times. "They just can't make it." RCS and other charities won't make it through these hard times, either, unless more people volunteer. These are organizations that make our communities better places to live and provide a safety net for residents in need. People of all ages must step up to help, rather than leaving retirees to carry the load. Have a busy schedule already? Organizations that use volunteers usually are happy to tailor volunteer assignments to the abilities and time constraints of those willing to lend a hand.
[Last modified August 30, 2006, 20:02:32]
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