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A fresh approach to end hunger in Blaine County

Video Credit: Idaho On Your Side - Duration: 01:55s - Published
A fresh approach to end hunger in Blaine County

A fresh approach to end hunger in Blaine County

The need for food in Blaine County is still higher than it was pre-pandemic, and The Hunger Coalition in Bellevue is taking a fresh approach to end hunger.

PANDEMIC, THENUMBER OF FOODINSECUREINDIVIDUALS COMINGTO THE HUNGERCOALITION INBELLEVUE NEARLYQUADRUPLED.IDAHO NEWS 6REPORTER JAKEBRASIL EXPLAINSTONIGHT WHERE THENEED FOR FOODCURRENTLY SITS,AND THE HUNGERCOALITION'S FRESHAPPROACH TO ENDHUNGER IN THEMAGIC VALLEY."CONTINUOUSLYPEOPLE HAVE BEENSTRUGGLING, ANDIT'S ONLY GETTINGWORSE HERE."THE HUNGERCOALITION HASRECENTLY HELD AGRAND OPENING FORTHEIR NEW BLOOMCENTER... IT'S HOMETO A COMMERCIALCOMMUNITYKITCHEN, HEATEDGREENHOUSES, ANDLARGERWEARHOUSE SPACE."FOOD MIGHT BRINGFOLKS HERE BUTTHERE IS SO MUCHGOING ON INPEOPLE'S LIVESTHAT IS LEADINGTHEM TO NEED FOODIN THE FIRST PLACE."AFTER SEEING AMAJOR SPIKE INFOOD INSECURITY IN2020, THE COALITIONIS STILL SERVINGNEARLY DOUBLE THENUMBER OF PEOPLETHEY DID PRE-PANDEMIC."THE IDEA A LOT OFPEOPLE HAVE OFFOOD SUPPORT WASJUST YOU KNOW ABOX OF CANNEDFOODS FOR PEOPLE,BUT WE KNEW THATWAS NOT DOINGANYTHING TO SOLVEHUNGER."INSTEAD OF TAKING ABANDAID APPROACH,THE HUNGERCOALITION ISFOCUSING ITS WORKIN SOCIAL JUSTICEAND GETTING AT THEROOT CAUSES OFHUNGER."WE WOULD LOVE TOSOMEDAY ADDRESSALL THE REASONSPEOPLE ARE COMINGHERE, TO BEGINWITH ANDULTIMATELY NOTNEED OUR SERVICESOR MAYBE JUSTNEED DIFFERENTSERVICES OR JUSTREALLY EVOLVINGTHAT APPROACH."ONE OF THE ROOTCAUSES OF HUNGER,IS THE LACK OFAFFORDABLEHOUSING IN THEAREA, SOMETHINGWOOD RIVER VALLEYRESIDENTS HAVEBEEN VERY VOCALABOUT IN THE PASTFEW MONTHS."OFTENTIMESPEOPLE WILLSTARVE IN ORDER TOGET THEIR BILLSPAID MEANING LIKERENT IF THEY HAVEMEDICAL BILLS."JENNIFER RINGEL ACASE MANAGER ATTHE COALITIONHELPS THOSECOMING IN TO FINDLOCAL RESOURCES,AND RECENTLY HERCASELOAD HASCONSISTED OFPEOPLEEXPERIENCINGMENTAL ILLNESS ANDHOUSING ISSUES."SO, A LOT OF IT HASTO DO WITHLOOKING FOR LOCALRESOURCES ANDHOW WE CAN STARTBUILDING THOSECONNECTIONS WITHOTHER COMMUNITYMEMBERS AS WELL."IN BELLEVUE, JAKEBRASIL, IDAHO NEWS




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