Food Shelf

In Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” the narrator says of Scrooge (after he’s been visited by the spirits of…

Things were busy at the food shelf the Saturday morning before Thanksgiving. By noon, things had calmed down considerably….

No matter how you may feel about the state of the union these days, one thing we Charlotters have in common is that we have always come together as a community to support our local food shelf.

You’ve probably heard of the Farm Bill, the largest piece of federal legislation for food and farming. The Farm Bill greatly impacts access to nutritious food for the millions of people in our country facing food insecurity and hunger.

As we move into fall, with cooler weather and the colorful display of our foliage and the many changes a new season brings, we embrace a time of transition. There are also many transitions occurring at the Charlotte Food Shelf.

Now when you begin to read this and soon find there seems to be no rhyme or reason for putting these recipes together on a page, I can assure you I mean to connect them.

Summer is in full swing. Despite record high temperatures and torrential rains, the Charlotte community continues to support those who experience food insecurity, and our food shelf has many exciting works in progress.

The Charlotte Food Shelf is deeply saddened by the death of our friend and colleague, Louise McCarren. In equal measure, we are grateful to have known and worked alongside her.

Throughout Vermont demand at food shelves is soaring. This is attributed, in part, to higher food costs, an end to pandemic emergency allotment aids that boosted SNAP benefits, inflation, rent or mortgage costs, the opioid crisis and the effect of summer’s flooding on homes and businesses.

Collaboration, creativity and generosity are the words that come to mind in describing the successful efforts of the Charlotte community and food shelf volunteers to help those in need during these winter months.

We have much to be thankful for. This community is sustained by the generosity of its members.

As we head into this season of Thanksgiving, we are grateful to and mourn the passing of our dear friend and longtime volunteer, John Lavigne.

This feels like a season of change and of preparation. Autumnal foliage first dapples the land, then deepens. Lines of migrating geese slice through our skies with a honking cacophony that marks their purposeful journey.

Sometimes, problems hide in plain sight. One of these problems is food insecurity, defined by the United States Department of Agriculture as having insufficient money or resources to have or acquire enough food to meet needs to live an active, healthy life.

In the wake of severe flooding and seemingly unrelenting rain, Vermonters continue to pull together and support one another.

May is a time of renewal. The birdsong, rich fragrances and floral hues of Vermont tend to provide inspiration to labor, be it in the garden or at the food shelf.

As we look forward to spring, we also note that the pandemic hunger relief program is coming to an end. Nationally, starting in March, $3 billion in monthly food stamp benefits will cease.

In two recent issues of The Charlotte News, Maj Eisinger and I wrote articles about the problem of food insecurity on behalf of Charlotte Food Shelf and Charlotte Grange respectively,

As I write this, overwintering birds scratch at black sunflower seeds, seemingly preparing to brave the brutal cold forecasted for the upcoming weekend.