Hunger is Unacceptable

Hunger. The term brings to mind a world far away from our own. We know the statistics – over one billion people in this world live on less than a dollar a day. To them, hunger is not a matter of comfort, but one of subsistence.

The term hunger, however, applies to far more people than many would think. A report put out by the Center for Public Policy Priorities listed Texas as the state with the second highest rate of food insecurity in the nation, meaning 14.8 % of Texans are at risk for hunger due to limited resources.  The report cited food banks as a chief asset in the battle against hunger in our state.

I’ve always known Austin had its own food bank, I just never knew what they did. That was until David Davenport, the new CEO of the Capital Area Food Bank, joined me in the studio this past week.

CAFB is a “conduit,” as Davenport refers to it, to over 370 partner agencies that provide direct care to the less fortunate in Central Texas.  Providing food for over 300,000 people in central Texas, the food bank distributes over 15 million pounds of food annually (to put that in perspective, each 18-wheeler truck that leaves their warehouse holds 40,000 lbs).  Simply put, the Capital Area Food Bank is making sure that food pantries, soup kitchens, and aid organizations have the food they need to serve their underprivileged clients.

So food comes in and food goes out.  That simple, right?  No.

The process of food rescue and recovery should very nearly be called an art form.  Every can and every package that is donated must be inspected, wiped with bleach, sorted, and then sent out.  This requires a lot of volunteers, but the kind people at the food bank make it incredibly easy to come in and help out.  I was actually able to get every employee out from the company I work for to volunteer a half day a few weeks ago.  Everybody appreciated me for setting the whole thing up, but really, I hardly did anything at all.  Literally, I called the food bank, told them how many people we had, put out a sign up sheet in our lobby, and that was that.  So thanks for the pats on the back, but really, it was nothing.

In recent years the Capital Area Food Bank has begun to shift their thinking.  “Hunger is unacceptable,” says David Davenport.  “The United States of America is the most efficient producer of food in world history.  Unfortunately we discard about 96 billion pounds of food every year.”  Yes, that was a ‘b,’ and he did say billion.  According to David, the U.S. has the capacity to feed the entire world.  Not only that, but food products constitute a large portion of the mass that goes into our landfills.  There’s nothing wrong with this food, the key is just making sure that is doesn’t get wasted.  It takes money, it can be a logistical nightmare, but CAFB sees it as their responsibility to intercept that food, and to get it to hungry people.

This is something that Davenport is passionate about, as well as shrinking the hunger line.  “What our state and community needs is not more food banks, but less hungry people.”   He is calling for governments, corporations, and most importantly, the community, to join together in saying that hunger is unacceptable.  For this reason, the Capital Area Food Bank is transitioning into an advocacy roll, expanding their mission to eventually eradicate the need for their service.

Until that day when we no longer need food banks, David and his staff are committed to meeting the needs of hungry people in Central Texas.  But sometimes the need is greater than others.

Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, our community, along with communities across America, came together in an inspiring effort to help relieve the suffering of thousands. Like no other time in recent history, there was an urgent and immediate need for food and basic living supplies by people along the Gulf Coast, and the Capital Area Food Bank was there to spearhead that operation. In September of 2005, I found myself in what I believe is now an Academy sports store, but at the time was a makeshift storage facility housing the results of many Austinites’ extreme generosity. At the time there was a perceived need. It was overt, and the people of this city rallied to meet it. David Davenport, working at a similar organization in Houston at the time, witnessed this city’s kindness daily as truck after truck of food products rolled in, all of them originating in Austin. We did a great thing, I think, and our city should be proud.

But again, that was in direct response to a perceived need. What happens when the desperate needs of the unfortunate are not perceived, when they go unnoticed? What will happen this Summer when utility AND food prices rise, and students go on Summer vacation where they no longer receive free or reduced lunch (61% of AISD students are on that program)? David calls it “the perfect storm,” and nobody knows how violent it is going to be.

I could not possibly overemphasize the importance of Rock ‘n’ Restock and similar benefits. These are the results of our best and most passionate championing great causes. But nor could I overemphasize the deep need of the Capital Area Food Bank right now. They need our help – whether it be donating financially, volunteering at their warehouse, or organizing a food or fund drive yourself. There is certainly something that any and all of us can do to help lessen the burden on the least fortunate families in the Austin area this Summer.

The Capital Area Food Bank’s website, www.austinfoodbank.org, is a great resource, not just to learn more about the history and operations of CAFB, but also as a way to advocate the reduction of hunger in our city, state, and country.  Seriously, I just sent an email to Pres. Bush asking him to ratify the Farm Bill, and you can too!

For the audio of my interview with David Davenport, please click here.