Ways To Help Feed Man and Beast

Many of us are donating to food banks, both in the immediate area and around the country. If you haven't yet and would like to, or if you are ready to donate again, I wanted to put out some links to a few that are very good at what they do and can make even a few bucks go a long way to supporting people who need a little help.

Please, if you have other organizations to suggest, put those into comments below this (with or without links).

A few food bank/meal provider organizations to consider, all having local impacts (linked):

Loaves and Fishes (helping not just to feed people, but with a full slate of assistance programs)

Northern Illinois Food Bank (which can multiply $1 of yours into $8 of groceries)

World Central Kitchen (mounting targeted efforts to feed first responders and health care workers fresh, hot meals on those hard hit front lines of care)

Large, well-established organizations have the networks and the know-how to immediately put every penny to work to help your neighbors and you, if it comes to it. Keep in mind that this virus will resurface this fall/winter flu season because there will not be a vaccine against it. If you can, consider signing up to donate even a few dollars each month, vs. a one time donation.

My rule of thumb is donate effectively. In giving, steer clear of anything that offers you a sticker or a tote bag, etc., any little "trinket" for your donation, and only send money to established, cost efficient and transparent organizations. We all know scams are the worst, and there are more of them cropping up, lately.

Even reputable organizations that offer little gifts to donors waste money that could be put to use to help those you want to help! (Doesn't matter if the trinkets are "donated"--somebody spent money on them that was just plain wasted.) Do you really need a little prize or ego marker for giving? Of course you don't.

Many charities now ask if you want to opt out of receiving any token merchandise when you donate. Some offer you the option to add to your base donation amount to cover the bank-added cost of processing your credit card, so that the organization gets the full donation amount. Great ideas.

While some food bank organizations also (sometimes) stock food for pets, another way that supporting food banks is helpful is that it can free up enough money in a household so that the people living there can afford to continue to care for their pets. That gives their humans a little extra peace and comfort. (In case it's useful, there are some food banks specifically for pets in our area, but they are located in Chicago, proper. See this list from The Anti-Cruelty Society for those.)

Things are going to get harder. The challenge, an especially easy one to those of us not in deepest suffering, is to commit to making ourselves less comfortable in some ways so that we give as much as we can. Isn't that exactly what first responders and health care workers and scientists are doing 24/7 and to a much higher degree?

One final pitch to support health care and first response workers:

Want to help with PPE (Personal Protective Equipment like masks, gloves, gowns, etc.)? Sure, you can rev up the sewing machine, but it will also help to write or call all your government officials, from state leaders--even those not from your state--to the White House and all involved federal agencies, to advocate for increased production of PPE (and ventilators) to go into full and fair distribution everywhere, ASAP. It's not just about the current need, but the need for these to be available, without shortages, this fall and into 2021.

Thanks to all out there who are what Mr. Rogers called "the helpers". It's a wonderfully big, diverse, inspiring, and powerful group!