Work
of one woman contributes to community
Jason
Swieso
There
are many social problems that plague
our streets every day. One social problem
that has the most impact to those less
fortunate is hunger. Hunger is something
poor and homeless people must deal with
daily. They must deal with this because
they don’t have access to basic
resources needed to survive and live.
It doesn’t make sense that we, as human beings, can make amazing buildings
and expensive cars but an enormous amount of the population goes hungry every
night. This is a horrible social problem that society must take action as soon
as possible.
In the city of Long Beach there are many homeless people who find themselves
in this exact situation every day. According to a report by the Institute for
the Study of Homelessness and Poverty, there were 5,845 homeless people in
Long Beach in 2003 who needed help obtaining food. It is a horrible fact that
these people don’t have the resources or opportunities to have a place
and more importantly, get some food.
Thankfully, there is one agency that is fighting against the city of Long Beach’s
problem of hunger called Food Finders.
According to their Web site, “Food Finders is a conduit that provides
food to feed the impoverished, hungry people in Los Angeles and Orange counties.
[They] are a link between donors, service agencies and the people in need.
[They] inspire merchants to donate food and then deliver food free of cost
to service agencies,” making it possible for the other agencies to run
more cost effectively and feed more people.
Food Finders was founded in April of 1989 and inspired by the Founder/Executive
Director Arlene Mercer. She stated, in my interview with her, that she was
driving by Disneyland one day and had the thought for the agency. She said
it was so hard to drive by what is said to be the “Happiest Place on
Earth” when across the street she saw hungry homeless people needing
help.
Food Finders is also a source of help for individuals by directing them where
they can go to receive help and get food. Food Finders is a vital link between
agencies and unfortunate hungry people to assist them to live happier, healthier
lives.
Food Finders provides nearly 50,000 meals a day for as many as 200 hundred
different agencies in the hope of bringing people in for food and getting them
the help they need. These agencies include missions, hospices, children’s
homes, homes for unwed mothers, homes for battered women and children, rehab
centers, homeless shelters and senior centers, which are given food from Food
Finders that help them attract people who are in need of help.
Food Finders collects food from grocery stores, restaurants, bakeries, produce
warehouses, hotels and hospitals, providing incentives like tax deductions
and proof of compliment with the California Waste Management Law to donors.
This agency performs its function very well. Since the beginning of the program
they have sent out more than 46 million pounds of wholesome food to so many
other agencies in need.
This is an amazing thing that started with only one woman wanting to help out
her community and those in need of food.
She says that the theory of her program is to draw people in need into a place
where they can get food and then direct them in a program that can help their
individual needs. This is a wonderful program to get involved with because
there is so much food that is wasted on a daily basis.
Food Finders is an amazing and honorable organization that has had enormous
contributions to the city of Long Beach, lowered the rates of poverty and,
more importantly, helped those who are less fortunate.
Food is one of the few things that all human beings need to survive and it
is a shame some people do not have the resources to obtain this necessity.
But, thankfully, Food Finders has begun providing this enormous service to
the community.
Jason Swieso is a junior communications major.
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