Appreciating what we have and also stamping out hunger

Instead of swimming in a New Jersey lake and then sailing as planned, my friend Jay spent his vacation day Saturday unexpectedly helping a high school buddy from the 1970s move to a new apartment. The move took 10 hours in stifling weather. On days when Jay is home in Orangevale and temperatures are 90 degrees or above, he's happiest when cooling off in the pool. He hadn't seen the buddy, who can barely walk short distances, in years. So I wasn't picturing Jay being thrilled to climb in and out of a hot U-Haul truck Saturday, carrying heavy, bulky furniture and boxes full of his friend's memorabilia. It was Jay's vacation day, after all, and he was looking forward to swimming in a lake he visited during his childhood. I was wrong. Jay thoroughly enjoyed helping his diabetic friend now living with mobility issues. Seeing his friend's physical condition also gave Jay a new perspective on how good he has it. Helping his friend made Jay appreciate what he has and doesn't have. Jay is grateful and thankful that he is able to walk a few miles daily and he doesn't have any chronic and debilitating illnesses, respectively. I juxtaposed his experience helping the physically-challenged buddy move with my lack of helping neighbors without access to food. While I want to assist local food banks or volunteer as a driver for Seniors First' Wheels On Meals, which delivers fresh meals to homebound senior residents, I haven't made the effort. I tell myself I'm too busy with work and family commitments. But that's just an excuse. The scores of volunteers assisting are just as busy as me. However, they commit to helping feed the hundreds of residents here who don't have regular access to food. I have to commit. Because this time of year, when I buy just-picked blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, peaches and plums, I forget that others in our community are hungry all day and night. We're talking families with young children to senior citizens without healthy fruits, vegetables, meat and other crucial nutrition to enjoy. I can't forget anymore or take for granted that others will help. I have to be part of the solution. Over the last two years, local food banks estimate that food insecurity has increased from 45 to 50 percent in Placer, El Dorado and Nevada counties. That's according to Danielle Roe of the Placer County Association of REALTORS, which is sponsoring a summer food drive to help those experiencing hunger insecurity in our community. (See the front-page story.) Last November, I reported that there are 102,310 (including 22,880 children) food-insecure residents in Placer, Nevada and El Dorado counties, according to the Placer Food Bank. The food-insecure residents do not know how they will afford their next meal. They often have to choose between buying groceries, utilities, a doctor's visit or gas. Unfortunately, healthy food options lose out in the equation. So I'm going to participate in the Placer County Association of REALTORS' summer food drive by donating to the current drive and then regularly to the food banks every month. The nonprofit organization is making it easy to help others in need of good food through its summer drive that ends in August. I have no more excuses. It's my turn to help others. I'm looking forward to the opportunity.