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HOW YOU CAN HELP LOCAL VETERANS FACING HUNGER – JULY 2

Authors: Corinn Bryant & Claire Hurd

The Fourth of July is nearly here! Independence Day commemorates America’s beginning. We celebrate with barbecues, fireworks, picnics, reunions, parades, concerts, and baseball games. Amidst the celebration, it is important we think of those who make it possible for us to celebrate such a holiday.  
It is an unfortunate reality that those who currently serve or have previously served our country can face hunger. As our service men and women navigate the difficulties of military life including frequent moves, deployment, adjustment to civilian life, mental health, or physical ailments, hunger shouldn’t be part of the equation.    
There are veterans across our community, like Jeff, a U.S. Army veteran who was a part of the 13 Bravo (Cannon crewmember) where he operated a 155 self-propelled “paladin”. We met him on June 2nd, at the Spokane Veteran’s Center Mobile Market. He said he knew he wanted to be in the Army and his stepdad served in the Marines. He served from 1986 until 1997, then reenlisted for three tours to Iraq from 2003-2012: Desert Storm and Operation Iraq. After Iraq, he served four years with the WA National Guard doing transportation. He expressed his gratitude for the Vet Center- they helped him get 100% disability after retiring and that he’s very thankful for the military. Jeff was able to get the resources he needed to sustain himself and give back to those who are seeking a similar kind of assistance for themselves.
You can help veterans in our community receive the meals and hope they need with a few simple steps.  

Say “Thank you” 

Perhaps the most simple and meaningful way to show your support for a veteran is to express your thanks for their service. You may not know the independent struggles of each veteran you meet, but even a small act of kindness can brighten their day.  

Educate Yourself

One of the best ways to help combat a problem like veterans facing hunger is to do your research to better understand the issues veterans face. Of the households Second Harvest, and the rest of the Feeding America Network, serves, one in five have at least one member who has served in the U.S. military. We are making outreaches to veterans through mobile markets like the one where we met Jeff.  
Check out these links to learn more:  
Veterans of Foreign Wars – Hunger Among Veterans is a Growing Concern
Washington Post – Why So Many Veterans Go Hungry

Volunteer With Your Local Food Bank

For a more direct impact on serving those facing food insecurity in your neighborhood, donate your time at a local food bank. To find a food bank near you, go to our website.
You can also volunteer with Second Harvest here.
We hope you’ll take inspiration from this post to support our local veterans both this weekend and throughout the year. Our veterans do so much for us both within and outside our borders. It is important we support them however we can when given the opportunity. Let’s honor them this weekend by raising awareness of the hardships they face and making a commitment to take action so that no veteran goes hungry.  
Why I support Second Harvest: A donor’s story – February 23

Why I support Second Harvest: A donor’s story – February 23

by | Feb 22, 2024 | , , , ,

Nothing is more important than having food on the table. To state the obvious, food—like shelter—is something without which we cannot survive. Second Harvest thus quite literally provides a lifeline for those whom my wife and I cannot feed directly. And it has done so for the nearly 40 years that we have supported Second Harvest. During this period we have seen not even a hint that their mission is diminishing in importance. On the contrary, the organization seems to be throwing out more and more lifelines to those in our midst who are in danger of sinking.

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Your guide to making tasty vegetable broth – February 16

Your guide to making tasty vegetable broth – February 16

by | Feb 15, 2024 | , , ,

Despite our best efforts to reduce food waste, it can sometimes be impossible to make it through a recipe without throwing away a carrot top or two. While it doesn’t feel like much at the time, you’d be surprised by how quickly the waste piles up. But fear not! You can easily transform those leftover vegetable scraps into delicious, homemade vegetable broth in just over an hour.

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Kids Cooking Camps – February 9

Kids Cooking Camps – February 9

by | Feb 9, 2024 | , , ,

Three times a year, we offer kids cooking camps that help support our programming year-round. These camps meet for two-hour sessions, Monday through Thursday, and are designed for kids ages 8-12. We pick a different theme for each camp so it’s always a new experience for our return campers. The kids get to eat what they make and take home cookbooks to recreate the recipes in their own kitchens.

Spending time in the kitchen is such a valuable tool for children as they develop their motor skills, social skills, confidence, and learn to problem solve. They practice basic skills like math and reading, too. We also focus on sharing nutrition knowledge through activities, discussions, and best of all, tasting how good nutritious foods like whole grains and vegetables can taste.

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