By Joe Bozek

With the holiday season fast approaching, once again families in Western New
York will be depending on the generosity of others.

On Dec. 15, the Food Bank of Western New York, along with the help of WGRZ-
TV, will be holding the annual “Food 2 Families” drive.

“Food 2 Families is a great one-day event,” said “Food 2 Families” Development
Manager Lori Stachowiak. “It is a family tradition that changes the way people look at
the holidays. Instead of presents, people are learning about hunger in their own
community and how they can take a part in the fight against hunger.”

According to the America’s Second Harvest, one in five metropolitan children
live in food insecure households in 2004. That figure is one of several alarming
statistics when it comes to child hunger.

"Hunger has a cure,” said Buffalo-born director Max Finberg of the Alliance to
End Hunger. “We have the moral, political and economic reasons to take hold of it and
make it ours."

The drive will take place at several area Tops markets.

Locations

• 4777 Transit Road, Depew;
• 2101 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo;
• S6150 South Park Ave., Hamburg;
• 7200 Niagara Falls Blvd., Niagara Falls;
• 3980 Maple Road, Amherst.

The food drive would not be able to take place if it wasn’t for people volunteering
their time and energy to help others.

Volunteering

• People are being asked to work a four-hour shift outdoors in tents that are equipped with heaters.
• An orientation will be provided beforehand.
• Nobody will be turned away from volunteering.
  

“(The Food 2 Families drive) is a great way to teach our young children about
giving back into their community,” says Stachowiak.

"Our hope is to reach all the presidential candidates to raise this issue in the
(2008) campaign," said Finberg. "The secret is to elevate hunger to a political issue so
that through hearing a number of voices, politicians start to take it seriously."

How to help

Any Buffalo State College student interested in volunteering can contact Stachowiak.

• phone (716-852-1305),
• e-mail (lstachowiak@foodbankwny.org)
  

Sign-up sheets are also available at the Food Bank of WNY located at 91 Holt St.

For questions or comments contact Bozejm99@mail.BuffaloState.edu