On World Kindness Day, Close The Meal Gap In Middlesex County

MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MA— We’ve probably never needed World Kindness Day more in Middlesex County than we do in 2020. It’s been tough on multiple levels, from the inconvenience caused by coronavirus social distancing to real economic hurt among some of your neighbors who lie awake at night worrying about how they’re going to feed themselves and their families.

They could use our help on World Kindness Day, which is Friday, and in the months to come. It’s as simple as supporting Feeding America, the largest hunger-relief organization in the country, which estimates food insecurity could swell to 50 million Americans before 2020 is over.

Feeding America serves 200 member food banks that serve and supply 60,000 food pantries, kitchens and meal programs in Middlesex County and elsewhere around the country.

Food insecurity isn’t a new problem in Middlesex County. Before the pandemic threw millions of Americans into unemployment, 105,610 or 6.6 percent of residents were considered food insecure. And that number had been slowly decreasing from 123,870 or 7.9 percent in 2016. But the recent economic fallout from the health pandemic has swollen that percent to 11.1 percent who are on the brink of hunger.

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You can help through food drives or by adopting a local family. But to spread your donation further, consider making a tax-deductible donation to Feeding America. With its power to buy groceries in bulk, Feeding America can provide 10 meals for every $1 donated.