Feeding the community
Less than a week ago, residents gathered all manner of sweet treats and handed them out from their stoops to whomever came by with their bags or buckets. The trick-or-treating tradition is one of generosity, warmth and community.
With the federal government still shut down and SNAP food assistance benefits stalled, it becomes ever more important to think about how we can extend that generosity to our neighbors through the holiday season and beyond.
To be sure, the cogs in the wheel of hunger assistance do turn year round here.
The Jackson Cupboard, run by One22, provides a week’s worth of groceries at a time for families in need and has satellite locations at the rec center and library. More than 300 households rely on this food assistance each month.
Hole Food Rescue picks up donations from across the valley and distributes food six days per week in neighborhoods. Its SproutMobile delivers boxed lunches and activities all summer long to kids at town parks.
The Good Samaritan Mission and Senior Center of Jackson Hole feed people daily, and several churches provide meals one day per week.
Last month, Scouts gathered nonperishable food from 11 neighborhoods across the valley and delivered 3,802 pounds of donations for the Jackson Cupboard.
The cost of groceries just keeps rising, 5.6% since last year, according to Wyoming’s Economic Analysis Division, and groceries in Teton County cost an average of 23% more than elsewhere in the state.
Physical hunger is something that’s tough to endure. But that can be compounded by isolation and the loss of hope.
At this fraught time, it’s more important than ever to reach out to friends, neighbors and acquaintances who might be struggling.
Many of us are food secure and can afford to make an extra casserole. We can donate to any of the aforementioned food distribution channels. We could buy a stranger’s groceries when they’re ahead of us in line. ’Tis the season to donate wild game meat through the Wyoming Hunger Initiative. Baked goods are great for sharing.
The warmth of the food and the gesture itself can sustain someone through a tough time.
As we approach Thanksgiving and the season of giving, let’s come together and give thanks for the community we’re a part of, where people look out for each other and help our neighbors.