At the food pantry today, I saw...........

[Stuart G]

all chairs for people waiting to get help taken, and people standing..

.I live in a middle class suburb north of Chicago..Skokie..It is so sad to see that much need here. So, what is going on in other parts of the country? Or in the poorest of cities? I dropped off some food and donated ten dollars. Pantries have access to food at very low prices they could use financial donations as well as foodstuff. Bathroom articles are also needed. We are in desperate times..please do not forget those who have little

[livetohike]

1. My husband's 85 year old Aunt has been volunteering at her

church's food bank for years. She said she has never seen anything like this before. She lives in the suburbs of Pgh.

[Stuart G]

3. It is unbelieveably sad..

I hope that the new administration includes huge increases in aid to the poor. And changing the requirements for food stamps would help too. In the last 8 years, Bush and Co. made it very hard to get on the program, and they seemed to be happy that they kicked so many off.

[peace13]

2. Odd Lots/Big Lots stores are a great place to purchase personal items for pantries.

I find large bottles of shampoo and large tubes of toothpaste for $1 and toothbrushes for .40. Baby care items and feminine hygiene items are also needed and can be purchased at a huge savings here. Peace, Kim

[TCJ70]

4. I'm in Chicago...

...and work at a place with a food pantry. We've seen double the amount of people in recent months that we'd normally see. It's all over the place. Fortunately, we've been able to keep out pantry stocked...but it's getting harder.

[Peregrine Took]

5. My church does a hot meal on the north side once a week and I hear they

have had the number go from 200 to 400 show up lately.

[JVS]

6. Go 160 blocks south and see what it's like there.

[sam sarrha]

7. i was a VISTA volunteer.. in WA '87 collected 1 million pounds a food, started 3 foodbank warehouses

and built a system of homeless shelters using donated trailers.. charged ourselves rent for our shelter with fed money, used it to help people get resettled

have your community action counsels, etc get a VISTA volunteer.. If they qualify to get one you can find a local to apply for the job, 2 YEAR CONTRACT.. comes with a monthly stipend and gov insurance.. i did VISTA twice and the Peace corps

[Stuart G]

8. I think we have an obligation...to keep this problems in view..

all the time..because this problem needs to be dealt with all the time. As poverty increases, we as a nation will need to deal with it and face it. I wish there were some other way. Till the new government comes in, we the people will have to help more than ever..

. ,, Mr. Bush and Co never once gave one moment to the poor and those at risk. It was all about the rich and his friends..
..............He is the consummate self centered asshole........