Food Accessibility in the Cities

Holidays and Beyond

Q

It is no secret that the Twin Cities faces food insecurity; almost every city in the United States—and the world, for that matter—does. We’ve all seen people on the streets asking for money for food; some of us might’ve even been asked to buy a meal by somebody before, others still might experience it ourselves, witnessing firsthand the food shelves and other community programs available to those who need them.

I myself have, to some degree, been on both sides of the issue. Having visited these food shelves with people I know, helping them pick up the groceries they need, and I’ve also variously volunteered for these types of organizations and bought meals for people when asked.

It is from this experience that I have learned there is a wealth of resources available, yet issues remain. A primary concern is that of accessibility; it can be difficult to find these resources outside of either word-of-mouth or searching on the internet, the latter of which may not be available to those most in need. This isn’t even touching on the fact that, depending on the location and organization, resources might be stretched thin, and food available is limited and slim.

With the holidays approaching, it is more than likely that we will see an uptick in charitable organizations doing such work, especially in a holiday-related fashion. One must ask the question: why can’t this work be done at these levels all year round? Of course, the answer comes down to resources.

With all this in mind, I suggest, for those able and willing, creating simple flyers with information about local food shelves and food distribution centers/organizations, and putting them up at frequented locations, i.e., bus stops and the like. In tandem, volunteer yourself, and pool resources with organizations doing the work to help them achieve their goal of community aid and combating hunger. Take care of one another, this holiday season and every season.