Thank you, Green Tears - we must support our local food pantries, too. The large regional food banks may not always be serving those who have emergency needs, but the local neighborhood pantries are and do. I was involved in a national nutrition study on hunger that was, believe it or not, supported totally by one of our largest tobacco company foundations. They paid for a team of 2 PhD post-docs from Texas A&M, and the PR firm that helped us reach out and touch to obtain feedback, first in Texas, but the stats were so alarming, that only I (on the committee) understood the significance. So, they let us take the study further, then nationally. The outcome was amazing - it wasn’t due to no food being available, it was access to food!

People do not understand that in far too many areas of the US, it is simply impossible to have access to food - far southwest regions, for example, but as shocking, in our cities it isn’t possible for many mothers to leave home safely once home from work, with the children, to obtain food.

I set up neighborhood "pantries" with total support from the churches - so many retirees helped with this, and yes, we had to ensure that all legal, insurance, and ability aspects were in place for and about the volunteers, but that did not stop them. Kraft and Orowheat totally supported the mission, local supermarkets, and … my dear hunters annually—they donated their processed deer to the freezers (which were also donated).

Overall, a key point person everyone trusted in each neighborhood maintain a "quick pantry" that only required a neighbor submit their zip code, and if they wanted follow-up assistance, their contact numbers, or address (so we could send out a larger supply the following day). This was an all-volunteer force in the mid-90s, having seen people suffer terribly in the early 80s. Thanks to the tobacco company’s foundation!

In America, we focus on nutrients for our children, but in reality, according to the Seven-State Nutrition Survery, our starving children need calories, first - they are starving!

The process to be "approved" is rigerous, but at the same time, the programs need to stop purchases of colas, and candy. and permit at least simple basic items for hygiene. I had a team that taught people on food stamps how to buy wisely, and always suggested they buy white vinegar, baking soda, and salt for cleaning. ;-)) That’s all one needs, in truth.

And, our "Farm Bill" needs to start supporting farmers who are growing veggies, and fruits, not cotton, sorghum, wheat, and nothing of which the majority is exported! It isn’t a Farm Bill, it’s support for ADM and ConAgra. That has to cease, now!

You are kidding right?

Give us time, Sharon, it’s coming. Only ~1.6% of taxpayers have their charitable contributions level of tax-deductibility  decreased, which will in turn provided millions to help pay for heath care, and frankly, knowing well many of our top philanthropists, they don’t care about the deduction, the annual fund donors, do … and every NGO is ethically responsible to counsel their donors about tax benefits, if they don’t - do not give to them!

I don’t understand this phrase, though, "is rich people who have made themselves so with our ever rising taxes" - please verify your basis for this, for a more intelligent response from us.

It isn’t going to be easy to remove the for-profit scavengers from the health-care system, but the administration must do it, ASAP. It’s been a thorn in the side of an ethical government for years - and the insurance companies can make plenty off their life and "luxury" policies (covering beneficiaries for the frosting on the cake in health matters that basic, excellent coverage will not, and should not pay for). Thus far, this is what the conservative congress is really fighting but they are not saying the source (lobbyists). I’ve been in DC about this, and the for-profit lobbying groups were literally suffocating. In truth, I have never seen such a shocking display of manipulation - the tales they were telling patient groups was nothing short of lies, and untruths - they do not want competitive bidding, that’s for sure. Well, let them try to sub-contract with any other industry. As a consultant I existed constantly responding to "Invitation to Bid" conferences; at time it was beneficial just to keep up on process, and for networking, but it has to be done for any responsible business to continue.

This is what went wrong when CMS put out the first competitive bidding - they did not pre-approve the bidders - it was a mess, which Congress had permitted - dumbells. They merely had to ask those of us who have been federal grant readers in the past.