There is a knothole through which available food and common household items for the needy must pass: a small number of people will devote their time and resources to channel  to those in need the tremendous amount of waste that the paying consumer will not buy.

Our local food stores are overflowing with every kind of fruit, vegetable, grains, condiments, sweets in easily used forms such as dry, canned, frozen, fresh, baked or roasted.   Before this food reaches the families in need,
this super-abundance must become out-dated or damaged in some way so that the store removes it from the shelves and disposes of it in the dumpster.  Paper items  may be only slightly damaged, usable but not attractive for sale; soap may be partially spilled and short on advertised weight.  It, too, is considered waste for the dumpster.

An alternative to the dumpster is the volunteer gleaner.
Gleaner?  In the winter?

Yes, there are gleaners year round: volunteers who gather food and usable household items from the business community and offer these necessities to local food pantries, shelters and soup kitchens.  Hunger strikes us all,
three times a day, every day.  Gleaners are dedicated folks in our community who work to keep food banks supplied with bread, vegetables, onions - whatever food can be salvaged safely.

Now, in the winter, gleaners gather from grocery stores for the most part. Managers of most stores with damaged commodities will arrange for pickup by a gleaner who will then take the food and goods to local Senior Centers and food banks.

Then there is the summer gleaner, also a volunteer.

Now, this winter, it is time to personally provide these gleaners with food next summer by planning our own gardens and farming operations.  As you study seed catalogs or plan for rotation of crops, include a little extra planting: a row of green beans or carrots, even summer squash in the smaller garden.

In the large farm acreage, dedicate a row of sweet corn. In the orchard, an apple tree.
Can we make hunger go away in Treasure Valley?

There is that knothole in the fence which divides those who are financially secure and those who wander on the other side.  Not all of them are homeless; not all of them are unemployable.  Many need a steady supply of food and household necessities until they can find a job.  Many live on small Social Security checks barely covering rent, utilities, clothing.  Some have lost their way, temporarily, through personal disasters - failing health, an
unexpected expense, a divorce.

However this community faces the challenge of hunger, the volunteer effort will be the determining factor.  One suggestion for the New Year resolution is calling one of the area food banks and volunteer to glean.  Believe me.
You will feel beautiful.

Next week we will discuss some of the supplies needed by area food banks, which often supply more than food.