Pandemic problems of food insecurity are not over

There are still families and individuals in our community who do not have enough to eat each day. While some food distribution has slowed down, the needs are still present. Many of those providing the distribution of food say they are running into a shortage of volunteers to handle the process. We are also still confronted with the issue of school being out, but not hunger. We still have high unemployment in our high-risk communities. Now we are faced with a new virus at the same time that many continue to resist getting vaccinated even though there is no cost other than their time to get the shot.

This paper does not want our communities of color, in particular, to be misled. Many of those among us who have not taken the vaccine by choice are in some of the most high risk jobs. We saw the impact of the COVID-19 virus on those persons in round one of this virus. So what can we do now? We can continue testing, get the vaccine, and wear a mask, regardless of what the governmental agencies are saying about the safety of going without one.

We can be mindful that the infection rate among those who have been vaccinated exists, but, so far, has not been fatal even – though there have been some hospitalizations. We can talk to those around and among us who are vaccine resistant. If they don’t take the vaccine, then we should limit our contact with them for our own safety and the safety of others even though we have been vaccinated.

We must give very serious personal thought about our children and their return to schools. No one will care about them as much as you, the parent. It cannot be enough to say that we have reduced the number of children in a classroom to 17 or 18 when in the past that number has been 30 or more. If the class is cut in size, then who is teaching the second group; and are they getting the same level of instruction and not being parked with an adult as a babysitter with no skills?

Let us not forget the food insecurity of our children at school even though a number of schools are now preparing backpacks to go home with our children for weekend meals.

The problems of the pandemic continue and food insecurity is only one of them. We can do much to help each other if we just make a decision to personally get involved in helping others. What are you doing?