News-Record.com

Lorraine Ahearn's column (May 27) on "the miracle diet" of food stamps highlights a huge problem in the United States and Greensboro area -- the fact that even today, people in this "land of plenty" go hungry and lack nutritious food. This week, 10 percent of the population in North Carolina will wonder where its next meal is coming from. This is shocking because 20 percent of the food grown in the United States literally rots in the field -- enough to feed 49 million people. There is enough food for everyone -- the problem is waste and distribution.

The Society of St. Andrew, a nationwide hunger relief ministry with a gleaning network in the Greensboro area, fights hunger in a direct and simple way. We work with local farmers and send volunteers into the fields to glean the edible produce that would otherwise go to waste.

We get that nutritious food to hungry people and agencies immediately. Last year, volunteers for Society of St. Andrew salvaged more than 7 million pounds of fresh produce in North Carolina alone. Society of St. Andrew deeply appreciates Ahearn shedding light on the reality of hunger.

Tuesday was National Hunger Awareness Day, and Society of St. Andrew was proud to join individuals and agencies nationwide in this day of education and work.

If you would like to play a role in ending hunger locally, please contact gleantriad@endhunger.org.

Emily Reeve
Greensboro

The writer is coordinator, Triad Area Gleaning, Society of St. Andrew.