Letter From Kent
I don’t know about you or your place of work, but the “I’m sick” bug has made its way through the Food Bank Staff. It seems like every day for the past couple of weeks at least one person has been out sick. Fortunately for those that we serve, our staff has stepped up and covered for those missing. But all this sickness has gotten me thinking. Imagine you are working at a job with no time off for sickness benefit. You don’t work, you don’t get paid. Now let’s assume you make $10 per hour and 8 hours per day. Even working 40 hours per week, you are barely getting by. You wake up Monday morning with a bad cold. You know the kind where your nose feels like someone rubbed sandpaper over it while you were sleeping, shoved a golf ball down your throat and kicked you in the stomach. You have a choice to make. Do you go to work and infect all those you come into contact with, or do you sacrifice 20% of your income for the week and try to stretch your money. Sometimes our neighbors who use the services of our agencies simply caught a cold.
As we enter into the cold and flu season, please take a minute and reflect on that. Just the smallest event has a ripple effect in the lives of so many.
On a more positive note, the past few days have been a Godsend to the Food bank. Every day this week, businesses have brought us food or money to help feed the hungry this holiday season. I’ve seen individuals for the first time in 15 or more years who have come in to how they can share with those less fortunate. I’ve had a mother and her young son bring the results of his birthday food drive. A 9 year old boy who has done this the past few birthdays with a goal (which he will reach next year) of bringing 1,000 pounds of food to the Food Bank. These stories go on and on. While I recognize there is a great need for our service, I feel we are truly blessed to live in an area with such giving people willing to do what they can so no one goes hungry. Together we fight the battle and because of these people someone ate today.
My first year at the food bank is almost over. It has flown by. I have learned so much but I know there is so much more to learn. Next month in my column I will reflect back over the past 12 months and share some of the Food Bank team’s accomplishments. There are many. But there are many more ways in which we can improve. I pledge to you all we will continue to look at best practices, tweaking the way we do things to become even better stewards of your time, money and resources you share with us. You can help us out by adding the NWA Food Bank to your prayer list. Ask God to help us to make the best decisions to fulfill our mission of helping those of his children who need us most. Thank you in advance for your continued support.
In a few days it will be Christmas morning. As you hustle around making last minute preparations, buying last minute gifts and stressing over “dressing of stuffing” be mindful of those less fortunate. You can make a huge difference in someone’s life by sharing your time, your talent or your treasure. They are literally hundreds of great causes out there. Trying to decide who to support might be overwhelming. I encourage you to not let that decision add to your stress. Pick an agency whose mission you support and help them out. No matter which one you choose you will be helping make northwest Arkansas just a little better place to live. Isn’t that what we are all called to do?
God Bless and Merry Christmas to you all.
K
