By Joseph Orovic
In these heady economic times, it’s a bit too easy to become self-centered.
Yes, your bank account and family’s bellies need filling, but countless members of our community have spent the better part of the past year scrounging for any means of survival.
The nonprofits that often provided a safety net for the homeless and needy have seen a significant decrease in funding and a jump in demand, according to the New York City Coalition Against Hunger’s Annual Hunger Survey.
Over 80 percent of agencies that responded to the survey showed an increase in demand. The same amount said they found themselves helping more families with children.
But money has not met the growth in need. In fact, it’s going in the opposite direction. About 70 percent of agencies saw a drop in funding and food. The resulting lack in money has forced over half of the respondents to dip into their own bank accounts to help the shelters run.
With the Farmer’s Almanac predicting a particularly hard winter and 21 homeless shelters facing closure citywide, the lives of our neediest will become more grueling and precarious.
“In tough economic times, we need to ensure that those who need help the most are not forgotten,” Councilman Eric Gioia said.
Gioia, along with other members of the City Council, were present for the unveiling of the Coalition Against Hunger’s Survey.
“We can’t allow ourselves to turn our backs on the voiceless and repeat the same mistakes from the past,” he said.
Help requires little more than time, tenacity and talent. And various agencies have been working as hard as ever. Donations are nice, but representatives from various agencies said they value time and energy equally. All they need is you.
New York Cares has been the most visible of these groups. (Who can forget their ad of the Statue of Liberty shivering in a merciless winter wind?) Yet it is also the most overlooked.
Its annual coat drive is in full swing and in its 20th year. There is also their 20th annual Winter Wishes program. Families and children send letters requesting a gift this Holiday season. Volunteers receive however many letters they want with the expectation they’ll make the writers’ wish comes true. Over 9,000 letters remain, and for many, the gifts they receive may be the only ones they get this year.
Likewise, the Coalition for the Homeless has been taking steps to prevent homelessness or help people get a roof over their heads. Volunteering for any of its myriad of programs, from the mobile soup kitchen program Grand Central Food to tutoring in Bound for Success, can help in a way that’s hard to underemphasize.
For all things food, check out City Harvest. The organization has everything, from basic food drives to food rescue programs, which takes leftovers from trade shows and conventions and passes them along to the homeless.
For the most hassle-free experience, the Coalition Against Hunger has pioneered a unique online Volunteer Matching program. The Web site corrals volunteer opportunities down to the zip code and subway stop, matching the time and talent you have to offer.
A spokesperson at the Coalition said the biggest need is for prolonged service.
“Helping on the holidays is nice, but people are still hungry in March,” the spokesperson said.