Hunger, really? Yes, here in paradise
Guest opinion by TOM ISELIN
Tom Iselin is executive
director of the Blaine County Hunger Coalition
Thank you for the article on the Blaine
County Hunger Coalition. It was another reminder that hunger does exist in the
Wood River Valley, and there are a number of people and organizations working
hard to eliminate it.
Last Thursday, I visited the Souper Supper
soup kitchen and 42 needy people were having dinner. I received a call this week
from a woman who lives out Croy Canyon and she said there are more than a dozen
people squatting in the woods near her home. She told me one man and his
15-year-old daughter were roaming the road. When she stopped to ask if they
needed help the man said he and his daughter had not eaten in two days. I also
received a call from a woman whose son and daughter, both toddlers, hadn’t eaten
any form of protein in three days.
The awareness of hunger in the valley is
mounting, but it’s now time citizens and businesses take action and work
together to address hunger and poverty. If the gap between wages and the cost of
living continues to widen as our community grows, hunger and poverty will
worsen. Ignoring the problem will not make it go away. The community needs to
build and support a network of committed agencies and volunteers to help needy
people, and it needs to discuss the challenges of poverty and hunger in Blaine
County. Neither will be easy, but both are necessary.
The goal of the Coalition is not to build
a handout program that encourages dependency. We believe that providing basic
food security lays the cornerstone on which needy families can build a life of
greater economic security. We also want to ensure kids have enough food to eat
so they can do well in school and live healthy lives. We believe that once food
security is met, other community service agencies will be more effective in
their efforts to move the needy from dependency to self-sufficiency through
self-development. The Coalition wants to help people, so they can help
themselves.
But we need community support. I encourage
community leaders, county agencies, and businesses to join our effort. Our
greatest need is securing building space in Hailey so that we can store
nonperishable food and build food boxes. Short-term will suffice: 700-1500
square feet is all we need. Next, we need volunteers. To find out how you can
participate, please email bchunger@aspenrg.org or call 726-8150.
We are making a difference—and you can
help.