Hunger in America
In America, more than 47 million people go hungry. 5.1 million Texans have food insecurities. In Graham, Texas approximately, 484 households need help with food. There has been a 37% increase in the need for food.
So what are food insecurities? According to www.feedingtexas.org Food insecurity is defined as the lack of access to enough food for a healthy lifestyle. Food insecurity is a systemic issue that can happen to anyone due to a lack of adequate resources. It is often driven by financial factors like high living costs, expensive housing, or low-wage jobs. Even those with a steady income can experience food insecurity for reasons outside of their control, like job loss, medical emergencies, natural disasters, or family crises.
“Living in poverty makes you sicker or causes you to become sick if you aren’t and it’s hard to get out of,” Heather Thomas said. “No matter how long you live in it, it causes trauma,” she added, noting the stress caused her and her husband to develop PTSD, bringing her lupus and rheumatoid arthritis out of remission. The trauma in turn trickled down to the children, whose health has also “gone downhill.”Heather Thomas can count out the tragedies that pulled her family of eight into poverty. She and her husband lost their jobs and home. You can find the rest of her story here, www.npr.org
What is being done to help those who are hungry in Graham? Well, there are places like the Graham Life Center, The Food Pantry, and other nonprofit organizations that help locally and in other counties. The Graham Area Food Pantry serves Young County and the surrounding counties. The program has no government funding and is instead run by local donations, United Way of Graham, and grants. In 1983, they started on the square in Graham at the old jailhouse. Then four years ago, they moved to 601 Indiana Street, and have been there ever since.
Anyone whose income level is eligible for this benefit may receive food once per calendar month. The food choice program allows you to choose the food you and your family prefer, based on the items the pantry has available that day and you’ll receive a complementary nifty thrifty client card. This card is issued after the clients use the food pantry for three months, and it is refilled every three months with a set amount per household size. This allows the food pantry clients to get the items that they need.
The Graham Food Bank is open on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays with a two-hour wait. Food pick-up days used to be on Tuesdays and Thursdays only, but they now are adding Mondays to help with traffic and workload. To help with the two-hour wait they are going all digital by January. Another way they’re trying to combat the traffic problem is with an appeal they sent to the city hall to move the Food pick-up area to the Young County Arena. It got a same-day approval and will go into effect in January. The food commodities truck is open to anyone. You can donate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 8:30 A.M. to 2 P.M.
How can we help? Well, the food drive is a type of fundraiser, where students bring canned food to class. The school then sends those canned goods to the food pantry which is something that really helps them get what they need. Like canned meat which is the most needed item.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a dog that they have at the store on Wednesdays and Fridays. She is a kind dog that they keep in the office. Some people only come for oatmeal. Go see oatmeal at the Nifty Thrifty!
Homelessness in America
In the United States, there are half a million people who experience homelessness, and in Texas, there are twenty-four thousand people unhoused, and over four thousand who cannot find a shelter to stay in. In fact, Texas is the 5th state with the most homeless people. It’s almost like every slightly big city you go in, you’re bound to see someone sitting and living on the streets. So, to say homelessness is a problem in Texas would be an understatement.
It’s a sad statement to say we even have a large group of homeless people. Some choose this life because living without a house to pay for is less expensive. Yet, they have no guaranteed roof over their head, and choose a life of uncertainty, all because the rent is too high.
Graham’s Food Pantry handles and deals with Graham’s homeless people. Once every year, they get a choice of clothing. They can just come by and ask for any seasonal needs like hand warmers or a new pair of shoes.
