This one brought tears to my eyes. I've been hungry in my life, and was generally graciously fed by friends, family and food banks. We all deserve to have enough food, so I do donate to our local food banks, food items and money, occasionally time.
If I had a magic wand, we would all always have food and a library for reading & learning. One to fill the belly, the other to fill the soul.
I'm sorry you suffered hunger, and glad there were people to help you. I hesitated to post my own struggles, and realized I still feel a weird shame about being so poor through that stretch. How absurd!
My daughter and I have both planted gardens this year. First to feed ourselves with healthy produce, but to also share with others. I am 78 and have planted (and am harvesting from) lettuce, chard, two type of onions, 4 type of potatoes, cucumbers, butternut squash, radishes, dill, tomatoes, blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. I do this on a small piece of land where my 840 sq.ft. home is. My daughter does it in another town 40 miles from me. She and her partner also plants and take care of a 4 x 4 planter that is provided by the town they live in. That is strictly for people on the streets, or those struggling. Her town has about 20 of the planters that are planted and cared for by volunteers. I also started donating $100 per month to my local food pantry. I live only on SS, but that is still so much more than many others have. The only way our country and way of life will continue is through love and helping hands.
I hate beets also. So many people have tried to convince me I should like them but nope, nope, nope. And I love most veggies. I really love the sound of the that philanthropic group and wish I could find. one here in Portland.
The organization is nationwide, I think, Charlotte. 100 Strong, or maybe 100 women strong. I really love most veggies, too. Beets, okra, and eggplant are the only ones on my nope list.
I'm with you, Barbara. My favorite charities are for food and shelter for those in need, and to help discarded or abused companion animals. I donate to other charities of course, but they are all variations on these themes.
I grew up relatively poor and spent some time hungry as an adult, though I was never at risk beyond discomfort (nothing life-threatening, not seeking any sympathy, I'm okay). I used WIC for my daughter and she was never at risk. Food and housing are basic human needs and should be supplied in a civilized country.
Thank you for a beautiful piece of writing with much thought behind it.
The act of feeding others, either by cooking the meal or providing funds to purchase and distribute, seems to me to be the most clearest act of love we can give. I feel this when I bring food to a friends gathering as well as when I cook for my husband. I spent my first career (20 years) working with the state agency that provided food stamps (SNAP), financial aid to women, children, and the elderly. I believe we need a safety net. Especially now. My local library is the food bank's distribution site each month - a local hub where families in rural (really, really rural) Eastern TN can gather. I know we grew up poor, but there was always food on the table. I grew up with those huge blocks of government velvetta. I thought that was cheese. LOL Now I want to find a local farm share.
Farm shares are wonderful. I feel like such a boss when I figure out how to use it all. (Ours is for a family and there are only two of us, so I usually give about half of it away, but again…food banks are in need.)
For me, writing is healing. It's what I have to give. Talking and writing about refusing to abandon joy and fall into fear. Joy is my ongoing act of defiance!! I donate to Drs Without Borders as often as I can and I just started learning to keep bees. Really lovely post, Barbara. Thank you.
Writing and joy are great acts of defiance. All creativity is defiance. Oooh, bees! I have sometimes considered it, but it's a bit intimidating. I'll look forward to hearing more.
Right now I offer my place for a meditation group (I gave some meditation instruction to those who had had any) and share some info on Buddhism (requested by the group), plus I have a small group of writers I work with/teach. Both groups are at my home and by donation only, so that if someone can’t afford any or much money they can still come. Others give more to help make up the difference. And I take some of that and buy coffee and tea for them to use.
It’s interesting that the meditation group was originally all older women (mostly artisans) who met for coffee at a local coffee shop. A group of younger women (30ish) came by and ended up staying and now it’s become a multi-generation group of friends.
And I confess, I am a beet lover. I love beets roasted to a level of sweetness, with golden and regular beets mixed together.
Oops, forgot the magic wand question - I agree, hunger is a vital need. Also, when I worked with a group that provided services to the homeless I realized how unsafe the women on the streets were, how everyone needs a safe place to go to the bathroom (even if it’s a portajohn), and that some folks remain homeless if getting a home means they have to leave their beloved pet behind. Also, I’d use my magic wand to end sex trafficking and any form of slavery that exists on the planet.
I’m with you on the taste of beets! As for actions, like you, I donate to causes that matter to me (Planned Parenthood, the ACLU) and I write letters to federal and state reps as well as business and academic leaders.
In the community where I live, we're not allowed to water anything outdoors unless we truck in the water. Between that and the wildlife, gardening outside of a greenhouse is fruitless (no pun intended.) I recall visited the family that hosted my daughter in a German village that was three years outside of East Germany, and they had a communal garden. In the summer, we can go to the local farmer's market to support local growers, but feeding the local hungry is something I need to look into. I did donate to the World Food Kitchen when the war in Ukraine started.
Oh, and I'm SO with you on beets. They taste like dirt. So do the beet greens they add to "mixed greens" salad packaging.
Thanks for the post and the motivation to do more.
I happy that you are able to help others, its wonderful. I'm glad you reminded me of CSA, I know we have one here and every year I miss it because I don't think about it until the end of summer. With all that is happening it is always the grassroots that take care of the world and always will.
By the way, your upcoming book is wonderful and I think you mention how you wish that there were more places like the one in India
This one brought tears to my eyes. I've been hungry in my life, and was generally graciously fed by friends, family and food banks. We all deserve to have enough food, so I do donate to our local food banks, food items and money, occasionally time.
If I had a magic wand, we would all always have food and a library for reading & learning. One to fill the belly, the other to fill the soul.
I'm sorry you suffered hunger, and glad there were people to help you. I hesitated to post my own struggles, and realized I still feel a weird shame about being so poor through that stretch. How absurd!
My daughter and I have both planted gardens this year. First to feed ourselves with healthy produce, but to also share with others. I am 78 and have planted (and am harvesting from) lettuce, chard, two type of onions, 4 type of potatoes, cucumbers, butternut squash, radishes, dill, tomatoes, blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. I do this on a small piece of land where my 840 sq.ft. home is. My daughter does it in another town 40 miles from me. She and her partner also plants and take care of a 4 x 4 planter that is provided by the town they live in. That is strictly for people on the streets, or those struggling. Her town has about 20 of the planters that are planted and cared for by volunteers. I also started donating $100 per month to my local food pantry. I live only on SS, but that is still so much more than many others have. The only way our country and way of life will continue is through love and helping hands.
Wonderful that you have such a vigorous garden, Betty. And I agree with you so much--love and helping hands can heal us.
I hate beets also. So many people have tried to convince me I should like them but nope, nope, nope. And I love most veggies. I really love the sound of the that philanthropic group and wish I could find. one here in Portland.
The organization is nationwide, I think, Charlotte. 100 Strong, or maybe 100 women strong. I really love most veggies, too. Beets, okra, and eggplant are the only ones on my nope list.
I'll look for it. And I used to like eggplant but now, not so much. It gets so slimy.
I'm with you, Barbara. My favorite charities are for food and shelter for those in need, and to help discarded or abused companion animals. I donate to other charities of course, but they are all variations on these themes.
I grew up relatively poor and spent some time hungry as an adult, though I was never at risk beyond discomfort (nothing life-threatening, not seeking any sympathy, I'm okay). I used WIC for my daughter and she was never at risk. Food and housing are basic human needs and should be supplied in a civilized country.
Thank you for a beautiful piece of writing with much thought behind it.
The act of feeding others, either by cooking the meal or providing funds to purchase and distribute, seems to me to be the most clearest act of love we can give. I feel this when I bring food to a friends gathering as well as when I cook for my husband. I spent my first career (20 years) working with the state agency that provided food stamps (SNAP), financial aid to women, children, and the elderly. I believe we need a safety net. Especially now. My local library is the food bank's distribution site each month - a local hub where families in rural (really, really rural) Eastern TN can gather. I know we grew up poor, but there was always food on the table. I grew up with those huge blocks of government velvetta. I thought that was cheese. LOL Now I want to find a local farm share.
Farm shares are wonderful. I feel like such a boss when I figure out how to use it all. (Ours is for a family and there are only two of us, so I usually give about half of it away, but again…food banks are in need.)
For me, writing is healing. It's what I have to give. Talking and writing about refusing to abandon joy and fall into fear. Joy is my ongoing act of defiance!! I donate to Drs Without Borders as often as I can and I just started learning to keep bees. Really lovely post, Barbara. Thank you.
Writing and joy are great acts of defiance. All creativity is defiance. Oooh, bees! I have sometimes considered it, but it's a bit intimidating. I'll look forward to hearing more.
Right now I offer my place for a meditation group (I gave some meditation instruction to those who had had any) and share some info on Buddhism (requested by the group), plus I have a small group of writers I work with/teach. Both groups are at my home and by donation only, so that if someone can’t afford any or much money they can still come. Others give more to help make up the difference. And I take some of that and buy coffee and tea for them to use.
It’s interesting that the meditation group was originally all older women (mostly artisans) who met for coffee at a local coffee shop. A group of younger women (30ish) came by and ended up staying and now it’s become a multi-generation group of friends.
And I confess, I am a beet lover. I love beets roasted to a level of sweetness, with golden and regular beets mixed together.
That sounds like an excellent community builder! And I know--beet lover are REALLY beet lovers.
Oops, forgot the magic wand question - I agree, hunger is a vital need. Also, when I worked with a group that provided services to the homeless I realized how unsafe the women on the streets were, how everyone needs a safe place to go to the bathroom (even if it’s a portajohn), and that some folks remain homeless if getting a home means they have to leave their beloved pet behind. Also, I’d use my magic wand to end sex trafficking and any form of slavery that exists on the planet.
I vote for all of those, too.
I’m with you on the taste of beets! As for actions, like you, I donate to causes that matter to me (Planned Parenthood, the ACLU) and I write letters to federal and state reps as well as business and academic leaders.
You are a vigorous letter writer. It's impressive.
In the community where I live, we're not allowed to water anything outdoors unless we truck in the water. Between that and the wildlife, gardening outside of a greenhouse is fruitless (no pun intended.) I recall visited the family that hosted my daughter in a German village that was three years outside of East Germany, and they had a communal garden. In the summer, we can go to the local farmer's market to support local growers, but feeding the local hungry is something I need to look into. I did donate to the World Food Kitchen when the war in Ukraine started.
Oh, and I'm SO with you on beets. They taste like dirt. So do the beet greens they add to "mixed greens" salad packaging.
Thanks for the post and the motivation to do more.
World Food Kitchen is a great organization. And those are pretty serious water restrictions, but a dry land is...dry.
I happy that you are able to help others, its wonderful. I'm glad you reminded me of CSA, I know we have one here and every year I miss it because I don't think about it until the end of summer. With all that is happening it is always the grassroots that take care of the world and always will.
By the way, your upcoming book is wonderful and I think you mention how you wish that there were more places like the one in India
Great observation, Regina! I do wish we could feed the world, and the Sikh langar is such an excellent example of trying. (So glad you kind the book!)
For the people you help feed, it's everything. Beautiful and moving thoughts!