STAFF EDITORIAL: Groups aid hungry Lincolnites amid Thanksgiving abundance

Every year, millions of families come home to empty refrigerators and cupboards and go to bed with empty stomachs.

The United States Department of Agriculture classified 38 million Americans as "food insecure" in a 2006 report. That means roughly 12 percent of our nation's population suffer from hunger and malnutrition.

It's something worth remembering as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, a day most of us will spend feasting with our families and watching football.

Assuming the same percentage applies in Lincoln, 30,000 of the neighbors we pass on the street or in offices every day are similarly needy and require assistance to offset economic woes hindering them from feeding themselves and their families.

Thankfully, organizations exist to address these pressing needs. And these groups always seek volunteers and donations.

The Food Bank of Lincoln offers emergency assistance to families in need of food and supports the local BackPack Program, which provides backpacks full of food every Friday to children on reduced-cost school lunch plans.

The Food Bank also distributes food through a network of nonprofit agencies in 16 southeastern Nebraska counties. Some of these groups include the American Red Cross, Cedars Youth Services, City Impact, the F Street Community Center, Friendship Home, the Heartland Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Lincoln Action Program, Matt Talbot Kitchen, People's City Mission and St. Mark's on the Campus Pantry.

If you're interested in getting involved with any of these organizations, or even in making a simple donation, they're only a Google search away.

You also can get involved with any of the local Foodnet distributions sponsored by various local organizations.

Foodnet is a local organization of volunteers who collect food that's about to expire and would otherwise be thrown out from local grocery stores.

The food is then distributed at various churches and community centers throughout the week. The closest distribution sites to campus are the Capital View SDA church on 17th and A streets every Sunday afternoon, Grace United Methodist on 27th and R streets at 5 p.m. on Thursdays, Middle Cross Church on 29th and O streets at 11:30 a.m. on Fridays and Zion Church on 9th and D streets at 10:30 a.m. every Saturday.

All of these groups offer wonderful volunteer experience and address pressing needs in the city of Lincoln.

So while you're enjoying the turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie Thursday, remember you have 30,000 neighbors who might not be enjoying the same abundance.

Thanks to these organizations, though, they don't need to go hungry. Lend them a hand.

staffed@dailynebraskan.com