Because joblessness is no joke, lend a hand

You don’t need a lecture or a speech.

You know that regardless of how the Dow Jones rolls and tumbles, folks are scrounging for jobs and stretching to meet their ends.

You know that the statistics are grim: More than 6 million Americans were receiving unemployment benefits at the beginning of this month, the national unemployment rate was 9.7 percent and Virginia’s unemployment is 6.9 percent.

Local troubles

Although local unemployment numbers are lower — 5.9 percent — the effects of a beaten-down economy are obvious. Over at the Thomas Jefferson Area Food Bank they’re doling out meals to as many as 21,000 people each month and are on track to serve 1.3 million meals by the end of the year, about 300,000 more than last year.

“The tragedy of hunger today is not about a foreign country nor is it about some other community down the road. It is here in Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Fluvanna County and places in between,” said Larry Zippin, CEO of the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank Network, which manages the local bank. “It is our neighbor who lost a job, a friend whose house has been foreclosed upon, a senior on a fixed income who must choose between prescription medication and food.”

Yup, things are tough all over. If you’ve got a buck, however, you can help.

“Believe it or not, one dollar will provide three meals,” said Ruth Jones, Blue Ridge Area Food Bank spokeswoman. “We get donated food and work with food distributors and organizations and we can really stretch our funds a lot further than most people can.”

That’s the whole concept behind the food bank’s effort during National Hunger Action Month: Give up a little to give a lot, they say.

“Sometimes it seems like there isn’t much you can do and people are cutting back and are worried about spending money,” Ms. Jones said. “We just want them to know they can help, even if they only have a couple of dollars.”

Every little bit helps

The food bank is working all the angles to feed the need. They’ve planned a food drive at the Emmet Street Kroger (4 to 7 p.m. Friday) and one at the Rio Hill Kroger (1 to 4 p.m. Sept. 19) with hopes of filling a semi-tractor trailer with edibles.

A little sacrifice for the greater good is the main item on the fundraising menu, however. They’re hoping people will give up their orange mocha frappucinos and donate some cool cash for free food.

“If you give up your latte for a day — that’s about $4 — that’s 12 meals for the hungry. If you donate the money you spend eating lunch at a restaurant and brown bag your lunch instead, that can be as much as 30 meals for a $10 tab,” Ms. Jones said. “It only takes a little to do a lot.”