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Can we really make a difference when the need is so great?

Being able to do so little in the face of today’s staggering need leaves me frustrated.

But when I’m asked, “Do you think you are making a dent in the hunger problem?” my answer is, “I don’t work on problems. I help people.” Jesus is my model. He did not heal every sick person, nor did He feed all the hungry. He did not set right every injustice or spend His every waking moment attempting to do those things. He slept, ate and took time to visit friends. He lived life like an ordinary person, and I believe He expects us do the same while showing compassion to those who come within the scope of our awareness.

That’s why you and I have to keep pressing forward. No matter how bleak the news is. No matter what new record we have broken for number of unemployed or how many homes are being foreclosed on. We must focus on helping PEOPLE. When a pastor calls me and says, “Larry, I need your help. Families in my church need food, and our cupboard is bare,” I must do my best to answer his plea. And every other cry for help we receive.

Thankfully, I have a great number of caring friends and a wonderful network of businesses and other agencies that are there to support the important work of Feed The Children. And while we may not be able to solve all the problems in this sour economy, we can continue to put life-changing food and essentials into the hand of as many PEOPLE as possible.

A Growing Crisis: The Newly Poor

This past week I was handing out boxes of food and essentials at a Feed The Children food drop in Wilmington, Ohio, The weather was freezing. But that didn’t keep people away. The lines were long. You see, in this small town and in its surrounding areas, 8,500 people have been devastated by massive corporate layoffs.

As I looked out into the crowd, I saw how much things in our nation are changing. While their worried gazes and hungry stares were familiar, the people were different. They looked just like you and me, like they could have been my next door neighbor.

Sadly, this isn’t an isolated example. All across America, millions of once successful families are finding themselves on their knees, desperate for help. Their children just don’t understand. “Mommy why are we moving.” “Daddy why can’t you just go the store and buy more food? That’s what we used to do.”

Unlike those who were already living in poverty and used to asking for help when they need it, these “newly poor” are lost. They don’t know where to go or they are too ashamed to ask. And then a friend tells them about a local church that can help or a nearby food pantry that has changed its rules and now allows a family to come once a week for food and essentials. So they swallow their pride, and do what they never thought they would – ask for help.

One food pantry volunteer says, "These are people who never really had to ask for help before. They were once givers and now they’re having to ask for assistance."

Food pantries are doing the best they can to keep up with the rising demand, which has increased more than 30 percent in the past year. But they can’t do it alone. Every day, I’m bombarded with calls and emails asking for our help. And we’re doing our best too, sending out our trucks as fast as we can. But we need help too. The only way we can keep our trucks on the road through the support of our friends. In times of crisis like this, it’s more important than ever that we FEED THE CHILDREN.

Close to Home and Close to My Heart

On Tuesday, February 11, several tornadoes struck my home state of Oklahoma. The first round came in the afternoon, ripping through parts of Oklahoma City and nearby Edmond. But the worst twister came down that evening in the small town of Lone Grove. At least people nine people were killed and more suffered serious injuries. Several housing communities were completely destroyed.

I’m so thankful that Feed The Children’s facilities weren’t damaged in these storms because people in our community really need us right now. They’ve lost their homes, businesses or both. We must make sure these people know that someone cares and is willing to lend a helping hand. My heart aches for my friends and neighbors affected by these storms. But I’m also so proud of how we’re pulling together as a community to help one another.

Already, Feed The Children has sent two truckloads of food to the most devastated areas. But much remains to be done. I pray that more caring souls with join with us in this effort to help these storm victims rebuild their lives. To find out how you can help, visit our site.

Hope for Victims of Kentucky’s Ice Storm

Most of Kentucky was devastated by an ice storm last week. Ice enveloped roadways and took down trees, damaging homes and taking out power lines. The Kentucky governor is calling this storm the “biggest natural disaster” in their state’s modern history. The National Guard is going from door-to-door in the hardest hit areas. They’re putting green tape on the homes that have sufficient food, power, water and communications and red tape on the ones that don’t. I imagine they are using a lot of red tape.

As soon as I heard about this situation, we began organizing our disaster response team. Already we’ve deployed 7 trucks filled with approximately 70,000 snack/meal kits, bottled water and emergency essentials to this devastated area. But right now there are 300,000 people still without electricity. Some reports say it could be several weeks until everyone’s power is restored. And I know it will be months or even years before all the damage to homes and businesses will be complete.

That’s why we have to keep going strong. Even those who thought they were well prepared for a disaster may soon find themselves out of food and water.

I’m putting out a call for help from our caring friends and partners. Help us take care of our own. Visit our site to find out how you can help. And tell your friends and family too. In these already trying times, it’s so important to let people know that there’s someone who cares and will lend a helping hand.

Standing Together to Help Our Nation and Our World

Like millions of others, I watched President Barack Obama give his inauguration speech this past Tuesday. In a time of such uncertainty, I wanted to hear his plans for our nation and our world. But as the president and founder of Feed The Children, I specifically wanted to know his plans for the hungry and suffering.

Here’s what he said, "To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds."

Regardless of whether you voted for him or not, President Obama has pledged to stand beside you and I and help us reach the world's suffering children. While I’m grateful for his support, I know the government can only do so much. This is a big job and it will take every one of us pulling together to make a real, lasting difference.

As world economies tumble, more people than ever before are finding themselves at the end of their rope. Never before has the work of Feed The Children been more vital to families very survival. If our nation, let alone our world, is going to rally and overcome these dire times, our first step is to reach out and let people know we care. Who knows, someday one of the very children we help might one day be President, if just given the chance to survive and succeed.

Record Unemployment Rates Mean More Children Are at Risk

The question people used to commonly ask their friends is, “How is your job?” Now, more often they’re asking, “Do you still have job?” Last week, the Labor Department announced the unemployment rate had jumped to 7.2 percent in December, a 16-year high. And this week it was reported that in the first week of January, 524,000 people filed for unemployment. That’s a half million more unemployed people IN ONE WEEK!

These days everyone knows of a friend or family member who’s lost their job. It’s truly heart wrenching. But what’s really upsetting is how this is affecting our nation’s children. They are the innocent victims of our sour economy.

Especially hard hit are families who were already barely struggling to get by. More and more I’m hearing about small cities becoming like ghost towns after the local factory closes its door. There’s no work to be found. Some desperate parents must travel 80-100 miles just to find a job. What doesn’t get eaten up in fuel costs is usually barely enough to scrape by. More and more they are turning to local food pantries to feed their children. And all too often, they are being turned away empty-handed because there’s just not enough food to meet the staggering need.

This year, we’re going to have to work harder than ever to reach out to struggling families and hard-hit communities with food and other essentials. Thankfully, we have faithful partners standing with us on the front lines . . . generous friends who believe like I do that no child should go hungry in America!