MOORHEAD, Minn. (Valley News Live)- It’s a startling figure. 1 in 9 North Dakota residents struggle with not having enough food on a daily basis, and a significant number of those people are children. But one local non-profit organization is working to ensure that everyone has enough to eat.
As you're getting ready to enjoy some turkey this Thanksgiving, some people won't even have a chance to get a warm meal. Many of those people are likely to be children.
"We see people from all walks of life, from all over the area. One thing we do know about the people we serve is children and seniors are disproportionably impacted by hunger," says the Food Pantry Manager with the Dorothy Day House of Hospitality, Andrew Flory.
In the F-M area, around 20% of the population is under 18. 40% of that group needs some kind of assistance getting food. The numbers are always changing.
"In October, we had 690 people and the year before, we had about 540. That's an increase of about 150 households," says Flory.
But around the holidays, is when food pantries really see a spike in needs.
"It's a busy time of year and we definitely see an influx around the holiday season," says the Food Pantry Coordinator, Jim Manley.
Getting the food and distributing it, takes a village. Volunteers spend countless hours gathering food and workers at the pantry are dedicated to keeping the shelves stocked. Even though the holidays are a busy time, the need is always there.
"Hunger is not a one month problem, it's very tangible during the holidays but it is a 24/7/365 problem throughout our entire country. It's really important to build that awareness and educate people while we gather that food, which goes so far to help people in need," says Flory.
Tino Gonzalez has worked with the organization for around 9 years. He has seen the needs change from season to season. But one thing that has stayed the same, is people's reactions when getting the food.
"Happy faces, smiling, and all of that. That is what's keeping me staying here," says Food Pantry Advocate, Tino Gonzalez.
Local businesses are helping the cause. John Deere has donated nearly 20,000 pounds of food in the past two months. If you are interested in helping fight to end hunger, there are plenty of volunteer opportunities. You can contact the Pantry Manager, Andrew Flory at Aflory@fmddh.org.
