I’ve never been hungry. I mean, I’ve been hungry, but I’ve never be in a position that I am not
able to satisfy my hunger with a nourishing meal. To say the least, I have been financially secure my
entire life. Living in the Silicon Valley, many of us are unaware of the reality that is in plain view. The
worst part is, there are many more that are starving and living below poverty levels than we think. In
some cases, it’s our own neighbor.
Living expenses are higher in the Silicon Valley than the majority of the nation, even more than
New York City. It is so difficult for many people to be able to make enough to cover rent and utilities that
often food expenses are neglected, and many families are going hungry. In the San Mateo and Santa
Clara counties alone, more than ten percent are on the receiving end of assistance from the local food
bank. What is even more unfortunate is that the majority of the people served are either children or
elderly. One out of every five children do not have food to eat for dinner over the weekend because
they only eat at home where they receive free lunches.
When we think of poverty and hunger, we picture a child in a third world country covered in
flies and showing the signs of malnutrition. But hunger cannot always be seen, and is a lot closer than
we would expect, and the needs are becoming greater. People in our own neighborhood are going to
sleep starving while we are splurging on fancy dinners and throwing away left overs. So if you’re thinking
“I want to do something, but there’s nothing I can possibly do” then you are wrong. There are many
ways you can help:
Volunteer—give your time to your local food bank assisting with food distributions and warehouse
sorting.
Host a food drive— get your friends together and encourage others to give as well. Make it fun by
turning it into a competition, remember the more to gather, the more people you will feed!
Donate—money can go a long way. Every dollar donated to Second Harvest Food Bank equals two
meals!
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