A crisis is brewing right now in our community—a crisis that will hit children, families, and individuals like a ton of bricks. It’s going to make the hungry even hungrier, their hardships even harder.
The crisis is summer.
Summer means children and teens are out of school and exposed to the risks that come with being vulnerable. So for parents and grandparents who were already struggling to put food on the table for their little ones AND pay the rent and utilities, school meals are no longer available to help!
My heart breaks for the children who will stand in front of an empty fridge and search through a bare pantry, hoping to find something, anything, to kill the hunger that burns within.
My heart breaks for their loving moms, dads, and grandparents, too. These neighbors are desperately trying to make ends meet—but they don’t. So they’ll turn to DRMM, hoping for what might be the family’s only meal of the day. Others will stand in a long line at our food pantry, hoping to get a bag of food that will tide them over.
The needs of the homeless are also a great concern during summer. When it’s hot, they’ll seek shelter from the blistering sun, needing a glass of cold water along with a nutritious meal. Some of these souls have addiction problems, and others have just lost their way in life. Regardless, when they come in from our sizzling city streets, we’ll have the chance to make a life-changing difference for them. I pray we’re found faithful!
Meeting the needs of all of these frightened families and individuals will have a huge impact on DRMM’s resources—emptying our pantry, too! And what’s really scary is that this deluge comes at a time when donor support is at the lowest it will be all year long. Let me be clear—it’s not because people quit caring about the suffering of others . . . no, it’s simply that many of our most generous and faithful supporters are on vacation in the summer!
As president of DRMM, my job is to ensure that we are good stewards of the donations from our generous and compassionate partners AND of our many outreaches that the hungry and hurting among us rely on when things are at their worst.
That’s why I’m sounding the alarm, at the top of my lungs, for every friend of DRMM to get involved NOW, so we can prepare for this crisis that threatens so many vulnerable men, women, and children in our community this summer.
It’s going to take all of us to ensure that everyone who is hungry and hurting gets the food, shelter, and other emergency help they need to stay safe over summer.
Please give as generously as you are able, right now. Spread the word to your friends and family, your church and coworkers. Volunteer if you can, because your time is also a very dear treasure. And please pray that DRMM can be there with help and hope—all summer long—for our neighbors in need.
Chad Audi,
President