Hunger action

Feeding ourselves

By Kim Carlson

September 21, 2009

September, the blog Blue Kitchen reminds us, is Hunger Action Month. It’s a timely recognition since, in our home state of Oregon at least, the food bank is supplying more people with food than ever before, and record numbers of Oregonians are using food stamps (which, as Time magazine points out, aren’t actually stamps at all).

Getting food where it’s needed is a challenge, but there are success stories. Photographer Rick Nahmias — whose book on migrant farmworkers was featured on Culinate — recently was inspired to create Food Forward, a gleaning organization that has donated 30,000 pounds of produce to Los Angeles-area relief organizations. Meanwhile, back in Oregon, Farmers Ending Hunger recently donated 225,000 pounds of baking mix to Oregon’s state food bank.

Even among Americans who are eating enough, there are challenges to affording good food. One food magazine, at least, is helping people stretch their food dollars by buying in bulk. With a special issue called "Big Buy 2009," Fine Cooking’s editors offer recipes and cooking suggestions for a dozen buy-ahead items, from canned tomatoes to walnuts to boneless leg of lamb.

For more about hunger in America, check out the Feeding America website, where many of the tales in the Real Stories section are as heartening as they are sobering.