As I mentioned in an earlier post, I wanted to form a committee to help me work on issues affecting those who are food insecure. That group met for the first time this past Monday evening, and the experience, for me, was very uplifting. First, I was just excited that people had shown up! As I chose people to approach to be on the committee, I tried to select members based on skills, contacts or specialized knowledge I thought they might be able to bring to the group. That evening, as each person introduced herself, I was further encouraged to hear that each of them seemed committed to helping the food insecure. Furthermore, I learned that some had personal experiences that brought them to the table and some had additional skills or contacts I hadn’t known about that could prove to be helpful.
Our first plan of action is to do something about the scarcity of summer feeding programs in our
community. We discussed what would be entailed in starting a large program that would require the involvement of the school district or some other parent organization like one of the local churches. We also discussed starting a smaller operation that we could handle on our own. Each option had pros and cons and would require the logistics to be arranged. As we discussed the hurdles of each option everyone participated in the dialogue, offering insight and possible solutions. Each member of the group eagerly volunteered to make inquiries or gather information, and we all left the meeting with something to do before the next one.
Throughout the meeting I was inspired by the eagerness of the group to move this project forward and willingness of people to volunteer to help. I am so glad I decided to put this group together. They will keep me encouraged and moving forward, provide points of view previously unconsidered and share insights I do not possess. We will be meeting monthly, and as we clear hurdles and make progress, I will report on those successes.
From a Simmer to a Boil 