The holiday food drives are coming!

You can help the unemployed and low-income while helping your local economy. As the holidays near, you'll be getting a lot of appeals for food drives and food pantries. Many will ask for checks or donations because they can buy a lot of food for each donated dollar, much more economically than we can, because those bulk warehouses and food producers/brands are based on federal grants to states and agricultural surplus created by government planning (i.e., they aren't really cheaper if you look behind the curtain).

However, I suggest you actually purchase the food locally to help your local businesses and their employees and the whole chain of supply that isn't government sponsored or getting government grants. This time of year health and beauty aids are always appreciated. I don't like to buy giant bottles of shampoo for our use, but I've seen some brands for under $1.00, so I will buy one or two for each bag that goes to the food pantry.

Many food pantries are stressing healthier foods, so salt-free and sugar-free canned items are also appreciated. Thirty years ago we volunteers were told that many poor people didn't have adequate cooking equipment--like refrigeration, stoves or microwaves--but these days, I suspect they don't have adequate cooking knowledge. Macaroni and cheese, potato soup, navy bean soup and red beans with rice are all very inexpensive and nutritious, but how many women (or men) know how to make those Depression era delights?