With each Tyson Foods truck delivery, we have asked our local partners to tell the story of hunger in their state and showcase the good work of volunteers and donors. On Thursday, May 20, we will deliver a truckload to the only food bank serving the Green Mountain State – Vermont Foodbank in South Barre. Here is their story:

It’s hard to imagine in a country as wealthy as ours and in a state as small as Vermont that thousands of our neighbors could be wondering where their next meal will come from. However, in a recent study of Vermont households conducted by the USDA, more than 80,000 Vermonters were found to be food insecure. Twenty-three thousand of them are children under the age of 18. And more and more people are finding it harder to make ends meet. In fact, in the last year, food shelves and meal sites around the state have reported a 35-40% increase in the requests for emergency food.

Rewind 24 years—Then-Governor, Madeline Kunin, convened a task force on hunger and poverty to assess Vermont’s need for policies to address the issues. Many of the findings of the task force still resonate today. There are still children going to bed hungry and families struggling to make ends meet. Seniors are still choosing between medicine or medical care and food. But because of the task force, the Vermont Foodbank was created. All those years ago we started distributing food to people in need from a tiny building in central Vermont. And as people heard about what was happening, they joined the fight against hunger.

Last year, the Vermont Foodbank distributed nearly 7.5 million pounds of food to as many as 86,000 Vermonters in need of food assistance. Food from grocery stores, Vermont farms and producers, manufacturers, restaurants, bakeries, colleges, food drives, gardens and individuals is collected, sorted, and distributed to a network of 280 food shelves, meal sites, shelters, senior centers, and after-school programs each day. The Vermont Foodbank is reaching more people with quality food than ever before.

And we are not just distributing food. The Vermont Foodbank is providing job training and nutrition education. We are working with our partners across the state to advocate for policies that will address the root causes of hunger in Vermont and nationwide. We are developing programs that target the needs of children, seniors, and families, providing them with the food they need, when and where they need it. We are nurturing partnerships with businesses, donors, services providers, clients, concerned individuals, and elected officials in an effort to share our message and learn new ways to go about this age-old problem.

Check out this video to learn more about the Foodbank:

But we can’t do the work of fighting hunger alone. We need YOU! There are hundreds of ways to get involved in the fight against hunger—find what works for you and do your part to create a hunger-free Vermont. Consider volunteering with your church, civic or school group. Hold a fund drive or an event to benefit the Foodbank. Make a donation in honor of a friend or loved one. Write a letter to your elected official and tell her that hunger is an important issue to you. Sign up to receive our newsletter at www.vtfoodbank.org. Participate in the Harpoon Point to Point bike ride on August 14 (learn more at http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/index.cfm?pid=28554). Join our cause or become a fan of the Foodbank on Facebook, and stay informed about hunger in Vermont.

Hunger is not a natural part of our society. There was a time when this country and when Vermont had far less hunger that it does today. Please join us in the fight against hunger. Together we create a Vermont where everyone has enough to eat!