An Honorable New Year’s Goal
So what could people in Illinois do in 2022 to help persons in need? What about people in other states? A clearly honorable goal would be to help save the children.
We have just come through a blessed time full of various celebrations, for some the arrival of Jesus, and for others simply a time to enjoy family and friends. Many people in diverse lands rejoice in their own ways and for their individual reasons. Drinking, dining, dancing, and shopping are all ways to celebrate. However, in some cases those activities turn into ways to fill our treasure chests and to show that we have much more than our neighbors.
Still there are children in need.
A review of recent figures shows a startling number indeed; in Illinois there are almost 53,000 homeless children. I think that number is too high. Some other people think so too. In fact, a lot of us think that number is sickening.
The high number of homeless kids has not come down much. We talk about it, we worry about it, and some of us try to do something about it. We cite the figure often and try to encourage taxpayers to support current programs aimed specifically at helping youngsters with no roof of their own (Second City Teachers: Homeless Students).
What about hungry citizens? Kenny Rogers just reminded us at Christmas that we need help remembering many among us are hungry. He sang, “Help us see our brothers’ needs, before we deck our halls” (Christmas in America, Kenny Rogers - Christmas In America - YouTube). Do people do that? Or do they buy the shiniest clothes, the biggest tree, and the fattest turkey for their holiday dinner?
What about hungry children? More disgusting figures are out there, such as “more than 10 million children” nationwide live in food-insecure households (Hunger In Cook County: Kids, Minorities Suffered Most In 2021 | Wilmette, IL Patch). That number is reportedly a bit lower than in recent years…but not by much.
The USDA conducted a study and found out more important – and unsettling news – indeed: “Approximately 7.6 percent of U.S. children were food insecure at some point in 2020, according to the study, an increase from 6.5 percent in 2019. Meanwhile, food insecurity also increased for all households with children, jumping from 13.6 percent in 2019 to 14.8 percent in 2020” (Hunger In Cook County: Kids, Minorities Suffered Most In 2021 | Wilmette, IL Patch). Despite lower numbers for the last few years, this is also a recent marked increase.
Why did the numbers increase? According to the USDA, “While children are usually shielded from the worst effects of food insecurity, the pandemic made it more difficult as schools closed and millions of kids lost access to free and reduced-price meals at school.” Further, the study found that food insecurity in several groups, including among Black and Hispanic families, also ended up well above the national average of 10.5 percent.
You must prepare yourself for the next finding: of the households with children under age 6, over 15 percent of them experienced food insecurity.
The reader does not need to be a detective to figure out that the purpose of this article is to call to arms an army of volunteers, supporters, advocates, and good-doers to step up and, well, do some good.
For anyone looking for an important goal for their 2022 plans, let’s consider embracing this honorable cause and march forward to the door of each food pantry, church, agency, and politician’s office to make a big difference in our state.
Volunteers are needed all over the world, of course. Here are a variety of places you can go to lend your support with food, counseling, funding, and other resources in Chicago:
Volunteer - Get Involved | Casa Central
Volunteer Opportunities at Your Local Food Bank | Feeding America
Volunteer Sign up | Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Chicago (ccofchicagovolunteer.com)
Volunteer Opportunities | Care for Real
Fourth Presbyterian Church: Evening Suppers (fourthchurch.org)
Monday Meal - Event - Temple Sholom of Chicago (sholomchicago.org)
Many young children in our state have nothing to eat. Many young children in our state have no place to rest, do their homework, or sleep.
Time to get busy!