Give Us This Day, Our Daily Bread

Times are getting tougher for what the NYTimes is calling "the next layer:"

Once a crutch for the most needy, food pantries have responded to the deepening recession by opening their doors to what one pantry organizer described as “the next layer of people,” a rapidly expanding group of child-care workers, nurse’s aides, real estate agents and secretaries who are facing a financial crisis for the first time. Over all, demand at food banks across the country increased by 30 percent in 2008 from the previous year, according to a survey by Feeding America, which distributes more than two billion pounds of food every year. And while pantries usually see a drop in demand after the holiday season, many in upscale suburbs this year are experiencing the opposite….

Or, as Rick Santelli likes to refer to them, "~~people~~ losers not nearly in my social set." Except, ooops, there it is.

Lest you think it’s only the secretarial and assistant types who are hurting, think again:

“We’re seeing people who work at banks, for software firms, for marketing firms, and they’re all losing their jobs,” said Dave Cort, the executive director. “Here we are in big, fancy Marin County, but we have people who are standing in line with their eyes wide open, thinking, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe I’m here.’ ”

The demand is not limited to pantries, which distribute groceries from food banks, supermarket surplus and individuals who donate through church or school can drives. The number of food-stamp recipients was up by 17 percent across New York State, and 12 percent in New Jersey, in November from a year before. When a mobile unit of the Essex County welfare office, as part of a pilot program to distribute food-stamp applications in other counties, stopped in Shop-Rite parking lots recently in Morris County, it was swamped.

“If one of our richest counties has people signing up for food stamps who have never signed up before, that indicates the depth of this problem with the lack of food,” said Kathleen DiChiara, executive director of Community FoodBank of New Jersey. “It’s the canary in the coal mine.”

There but for some grace and luck go the rest of us. Let’s all try to remember that before we cast aspersions on others and fail to give the needs of regular folks due consideration, shall we?

How are you, your family and friends doing these days?

bobschacht | Thursday February 19, 2009 02:51 pm 1

Christy,
Our church does a monthly “lunch” service, mainly soup and sandwiches. Participation has been growing in recent months, and our vestry may need to consider offering this service weekly, if we can gather the human and material resources to do so. Yes, even here in “paradise.”

Bob in HI

Christy Hardin Smith | Thursday February 19, 2009 02:57 pm 2

In response to bobschacht @ 1

Sadly, Bob, I think it’s like that everywhere at the moment. I’ve been hearing that our local food pantry and soup kitchen cannot keep up with the increasing need.

Arbusto | Thursday February 19, 2009 03:17 pm 3

I’m not a gardener, but many communities have public vegetable gardens, or could easily convert public land to gardens, headed by local master gardeners and run by volunteers. We could plant/harvest and distribute the vegetables regionally, maybe even nationwide to take advantage of different crops and climates to maximize year around gardens. The cost of seeds, not much. The results pretty good.

bobschacht | Thursday February 19, 2009 03:27 pm 4

In response to Arbusto @ 3

This sounds like the WW-II “Victory gardens”, and I think its an excellent time to revive the idea. How do you accomplish that “headed by local master gardeners and run by volunteers” thing? Some structure like that is needed.

I know that in our neighborhood (Makiki) there is a public garden plot near the neighborhood library, recreational center, and park. The plots are pretty small, but this area if left to nature would be a rainforest, so the small plots are actually pretty productive. It is also a good idea if vacant land could be temporarily used for public gardens, as long as there is some sort of supervision. I’ll suggest it to my state legislator.

Arbusto | Thursday February 19, 2009 03:50 pm 5

In response to bobschacht @ 4

I’d think parks and rec. would be involved in many communities. Asking a council person or at city hall one should be able to find out tout de suite. Master gardeners are all over the place, but not needed. Just someone who’s good at vegetable growing. It’s the distribution that requires connections, but the phone book is a place to start.

dakine01 | Thursday February 19, 2009 03:50 pm 6

Well, that tropical rain forest does tend to allow folks to have a couple of growing seasons each year.

(I remember being fascinated by a rain fall map I saw not long after I got over there in the late ’70s showing that Oahu – and I think all the islands – received anywhere from tropical rain forest levels of rain to desert levels, depending on which side and how far out from the mountains things were located)

Millineryman | Thursday February 19, 2009 03:59 pm 7

When I see the amount of food that is readily available for TV chef challenges when pantries are hurting so bad it makes me wonder where priorities are sometimes. Competition in sport doesn’t involve a basic necessity that many people do without.

I know the Food Network supports Share Our Strength and that’s great. And the people who do win the money most likely use it to support small businesses. I do find it hard to watch sometimes knowing that there are people who don’t even have more then a meager portion while there is a bounty for a competition.

Christy Hardin Smith | Thursday February 19, 2009 04:40 pm 8

In response to Millineryman @ 7

Usually the food that is prepped goes to stagehands, audience members and folks involved in show production, so whatever is cooked gets eaten. Excess ingredients generally go to local food pantries for most of those shows — from what I know about the Food Network folks, they do take that community support pledge pretty seriously, FWIW.

Millineryman | Thursday February 19, 2009 05:39 pm 9

In response to Christy Hardin Smith @ 8

That’s good to know. It just seems so excessive sometimes. Thanks.

Lindy | Thursday February 19, 2009 05:43 pm 10

Better than some. I managed to dodge the lay-off bullet today.

Lindy | Thursday February 19, 2009 05:44 pm 11

Sorry, that was in answer to your question in the post, Christy.

Blub | Thursday February 19, 2009 05:47 pm 12

we need to start sentencing large numbers of corporate and banking execs to contribute to and work full time in soup kitchens. Epic failure should have consequences.

Millineryman | Thursday February 19, 2009 06:15 pm 13

In response to Lindy @ 10

I’m glad to hear that. It’s a shame for those who didn’t, and it doesn’t do much for morale when you see the coworkers get escorted out.

Lindy | Thursday February 19, 2009 06:28 pm 14

In response to Millineryman @ 13

Thanks. And yes, you’re right. It’s difficult. If I lose my job, I don’t see how I can stay here.

Millineryman | Thursday February 19, 2009 06:52 pm 15

In response to Lindy @ 14

Before I lost my job there were a couple of layoffs, and the atmosphere was really bad before I left. It just felt so heavy.

bobschacht | Thursday February 19, 2009 06:57 pm 16

I’m due to retire in about 4 months. I’m starting to get nervous about whether my state retirement fund (Arizona), Social security, and my savings will be eaten up by this depression, making me un-retire.

I have projects I want to do in my retirement, and my wife wants to travel!
Will the Bush Depression kill my plans?