This weekend will mark the ninth anniversary of the most recent domestic tragedy in national history. Sept. 11, 2001 will forever be ingrained in everyone’s memory. Our country has never been the same since the World Trade Towers fell.
In honor and remembrance of the event, Gov. Bev Perdue has identified an issue that, despite 9/11, has not changed. Hunger still exists in our country, even though we are one of the wealthiest in the world. According to the USDA, in 2008, 49.1 million people in the U.S. were living in food insecure households and this was up from 36.2 million in 2007.
This weekend, the governor has urged state residents to engage in a statewide food drive as part of National Day of Service and Remembrance. As students at N.C. State, we go to a school that is a leader in community service and this is an important moment for us donate or volunteer to show how much we care and the difference we can make if we all work together.
Education is key. Even if we are not natives of the area, we are a part of the Raleigh community. Not everyone can walk down the street and go to a dining hall to eat. Students don’t realize we live near the most food insecure residents in the county. According to Feed America’s “Hunger in America 2010 Local Report Prepared for FB of Central & Eastern NC and Inter-Faith Food Shuttle,” these agencies, which are food bank leaders our area, provide emergency food for an estimated 664,700 different people annually. That is the equivalent of 74 percent of Wake County.
Donating to food drives is a simple way to give back. A can of green beans can be the difference between someone going hungry and having food for a couple of days. It would not be hard for everyone on campus gave one can. The Inter-Faith Food Shuttle is located next to the N.C. state farmer’s market near Centennial Campus and they are accepting donations. Take a bus or a friend’s car, just go.
The Salvation Army is always looking for people to help serve food to the Raleigh area and the IFFS has community gardens and a farm students are welcome to work at. There are already student groups and classes that help at both of these organizations and many professors have already recognized the importance of being involved in service learning.
This weekend is a time where the nation should be unified. One of the most basic human needs is food and we are all unified in this need. Help others this weekend who many not be as fortunate as us to have access to food. If we all work together to raise awareness and help the community, we will be able to see how we can truly be united.
