You’ve seen the commercials about starving children in other parts of the world, but did you know that there are starving children right here in Lake County?

According to a Food and Nutrition Survey in 2010, 18 percent of Lake County residents are living in below poverty conditions and do not have access to a stable source of food throughout the year.

They cope in various ways, including the use of food stamps, free meal programs for children and by using church or community sponsored food pantries.

United Christian Parish (UCP) does not have the only food pantry in the county but I would like to share a little about how it functions as indicative of needs and service in our community.

UCP has always had some kind of food ministry to feed the hungry and we have been proud participants and supporters of the Free Kitchen Project since its inception, but in 2008 we determined we needed to do something more.  

As with many other churches, prior to that time we tried to help people on a case by case basis but always felt we were falling short of what people needed.

In response we decided to open a food pantry that would provide one week’s worth of food for any family that needed it.  

Further, we would let the families have some choice in the kind of food they received, but they would be limited to using the pantry once every three months.

We offer this service all year round, by appointment Tuesday through Thursday.

In 2008 when we first opened we provided one week’s worth of food for 196 adults and 128 children for a total of 324 people.

By 2011 that number grew to 272 adults and 180 children for an annual total of 452 people.  

How were we able to provide a week’s worth of food for 452 people last year, and how can you help feed even more next year?

Our food pantry has in the past been stocked solely by members of the congregation. This year we received several large group donations that enabled us to significantly increase our giving ability.

Students and staff at Terrace Middle School completely stocked our pantry through a food drive before the holidays and throughout the year we received food donations from the Early Lake Lions Club, Kiwanis, Strong Financial customers, Weight Watchers, Konocti Christian Academy and through partnerships with groups such as the Free Kitchen who received grants and food from Sutter Lakeside and Grocery Outlet in addition to others.

In short – we did it through community partnerships.

All this month the “Stop Hunger Now: Lake County CAN!” food drive has been collecting food to help fight hunger not just in Lake County but around the world.

In addition to stocking food pantries around the lake we will be preparing 20,000 meals to ship overseas to a country where the people are not only “food insecure” but are actually dying from starvation.

On Friday, March 30, and Saturday, March 31, the seven United Methodist churches throughout the county will organize all of the food received and distribute it to food pantries in Lakeport, Upper Lake, Clearlake Oaks, Clearlake, Middletown, Lower Lake and Kelseyville.

You can still participate in Stop Hunger Now: Lake County CAN! by bringing a donation of food to the Upper Lake United Methodist Church, 604 Clover Valley Road, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday, March 30, or to Clearlake United Methodist Church, 14521 Pearl Ave., from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 31.

You can deliver your food and go, or you can stay to take part in special events planned for the day.

More information is available at www.lakecountycan.org .

Can Lake County make a difference and help stop hunger now? Lake County CAN!

Shannon Kimbell-Auth is pastor of United Christian Parish in Lakeport, Calif.