The holiday season is right around the corner and many of us just finished bombarding grocery stores to fulfill our pie-loving and zealous turkey needs, and Happy Valley is surely no exception. Thanksgiving is traditionally a time of family gatherings, admiration of life, and expressing gratitude for opportunities that are often taken for granted.
Sitting around home-cooked meals and feasting until our hearts are content is the goal for everyone partaking in this holiday, and we all know that the countdown for Christmas has begun. Circumstances like this is one of the reasons why America has been referred to as “Fat Land” and “Land of the Gluttons.” Yet, in a country where 35% of adults are obese, how can there be so many people starving?
According to Bread For The World, a Christian group dedicated to ending nationwide hunger, 49 million Americans are fighting the battle against poverty. Fifteen million of those being children. Hitting a little closer to home, nearly 48% of State College residents are living under the poverty line.
The thought that such an affluent portion of the state, dealing with minimal unemployment can be face to face with such a devastating issue is a reflection that change needs to be initiated in our society. Although canned food drives, donation baskets, and many other efforts have been made to reduce the number of hungry citizens, there is still much more work to be done.
Through collaborative work and community advocacy, the mission to spread awareness about the severity of poverty in our local area can be achieved. By contacting businesses, local congressmen, and organizations with the goal of finding a solution to this issue, knowledge can be shared. Bringing attention to the tragic epidemic.
The solution begins with us. We can be the difference this holiday season between another year without food or an optimistic future. If you’d like to make a donation, you can visit this site, to see when local State College food drives are collecting, and the items that are in highest demand.