Charities Need Your Help More Than Ever This Thanksgiving

ThinkProgress points out that due to the recession, charities that provide food to the needy can’t keep up with demand:

Hunger relief agency Feeding America found that 99 percent of food banks reported increases in demand for emergency food aid. But due to weak donations, 78 percent have had to reduce the amount of food provided and 55 percent have had to turn people away.

The Online NewsHour explains that the problem began to worsen last year:

[A]lmost 50 million Americans had a hard time putting food on the table in 2008 — one in seven American households, an increase of 13 million people from the year before.

The total number of Americans who are having a tough time affording nutritious food includes 17 million children — 22 percent of all children in the United States.

Food banks are seeing more working families who need assistance:

In some cases, families who donated to food banks last year are showing up at the same doors now in need themselves.

To find a food bank in your area where you can help, click here for Feeding America’s Food Bank Locator.

By: Joel