by Alan McBride
ORLANDO, FLA.
The central Florida foodbank Second Harvest released a report this week outlining the state of hunger in Florida.
The report noted that the number of people, and charities, seeking the assistance of Second Harvest had skyrocketed over the past few years.
Incidentally, the report's findings could be representative of many parts of the state.
Dave Krepcho, president of Second Harvest, said we need look only at the growth of food stamp usage here.
"Food stamp usage in the state of Florida has grown by almost 100 percent over the past couple of years," he said.
Krepcho added that nearly one third of the people they interviewed for this report said they had written off medical help because they didn't have money for that and food on the table.
"You know how health care is the single biggest issue being discussed in this country right now, but a third of them (the respondents), said it was either medical care, or eating," he said. "A third of them had to make a choice."
Krepcho said that, as grim as the picture is for Florida, it did not represent an insurmountable problem.
He said people were making a difference here, and things would be worse if they hadn't been so intent on giving to help those who were struggling to put food on the table.
The goal of the report his outfit released this week was not only to give people a look at the nature of the problem, but to launch a search for more solutions.
Krepcho remained optimistic that innovative thinking, and a neighborly attitude, would yield solutions.
"This is a problem we can wrap our heads, and arms, and hearts around," he said.
Listen to: Alan McBride
© 2010