The Hungry find hope

I live in a small town that only exists because two main highways meet here. Everybody's store to hate (Walmart) has pushed its share of smaller businesses out of the area, but we still have a small selection when it comes to grocery shopping. Included in that selection is two Safeway stores (Known as Von's in some areas) which I found out today offer up the fresh food that cannot be sold to the local food bank.

I cannot say what the unemployment rate is for our small town, but the food bank here sees a lot of business. At least half of everything the grocery stores end up throwing away is still safe to eat but will not sell because it is attached to, or in the same bundle as something that is no longer good to eat. While those who can afford to be picky about their meal selections can select something of better quality (which coincidentally is rarely eaten before it goes bad), those who have no choice in the matter are more than grateful to find fresh fruits and vegetables in their bag (or occasionally box) of food.

It is also good to note, that a hungry person will waste far less than a person who has too many choices for food. This is the case for a large portion of the people in the United States who have become accustom to having everything they could possibly want at their fingertips. I do not know if Safeway and Von's stores in other areas do the same thing, but I applaud our small town grocers for taking an interest in helping our community remain healthy.

I can only dare to hope that their example will be followed and that no one will have to go hungry while food is nearby and unwanted by those too full of themselves to accept a partially sub standard product. 

Where to start?

I would not presume to believe that everyone will read this blog anymore than I could hope for everyone to take something from it. The simple answer to the question: "Where to start?" is to participate. As a people, we have grown complacent in our duty to ourselves. That may sound entirely complicated and I apologize, but when we participate, we are not doing so for a country, we are not doing so for a state, we do so for what is important to us. As an example, and I beg you to read past one word in this statement as my beliefs and values are different today, I initially registered to vote 4 years ago and at the time I registered as a Republican. I have found that I am no more a Republican than a Democrat and that devoting ones self to a party is a blind way of handling business. Today, I listen to everyone, research what they say to find truth or lies, and then make an informed decision for myself on the topics that are important to me. As a quick example, some of the topics important to me as a Veteran, a husband, and a father are:

• Education
• Women's equality (my wife has been the provider for our family for some time)
• Family Values
• Looking out for our own (own being those within our borders)
• Economic stability

Those are just a few topics important to me. Some of them are conservative, some of them are liberal, either way its what I look for in everything that comes out of Washington. Some topics that really make my blood boil have to do with helping under-privileged people in other countries while ignoring our own.

• Homelessness
• If we have a million empty houses in the United States, we have more than enough Homeless people and families who just need a little help to get restarted.
• Hungry
• We send millions of tons of food to other countries to feed the hungry people in "Politically Sensitive" areas. In the mean time, our own hungry people eat broth in dirty bowls and drink what looks like coffee from used Styrofoam cups.
• Jobless
• Our own citizens will not work at jobs that pay less than minimum wage to work because unemployment makes it easier to be unemployed.

Each of these topics will get their own blog post at some point. We as a people, have a responsibility to our neighbors inside our country more than those an ocean away. But in that last sentence, I must also remember that I cannot, and will not tell anyone what to think and do, it is up to them to find their own answers. To be a leader, you must first understand that those following, usually do so blindly. I ask anyone that follows this blog, please do so, but educate yourself outside of my postings as well. Make your own decisions in the end.