As the pandemic continues, the need for food pantries and food distribution centers grow.
In the Southern parts of Western New York, some 40,000 neighbors living in “invisible poverty” and 8,500 of those neighbors do not have access to transportation.
A LOT OF PEOPLEWHO ARE STILLWORKING AREHAVING TROUBLEMAKING ENDS MEET.THIS VIDEO SHOWS ALINE OF CARSOUTSIDE OF A FOODPANTRY IN EASTAURORA.ALL OF THOSEPEOPLE ARE LOOKINGFOR JUST A LITTLEHELP FOR THEIRFAMILY.NEW AT 11 -- NIKKIDEMENTRI LOOKS ATTHE STRAIN THEPANDEMIC IS HAVINGON GROUPS THATSERVE AS A LIFELINEFOR OUR FRIENDSAND NEIGHBORS."WE RECOGNIZEDTHAT THERE WASSOME NEED BUT WEDIDN'T RECOGNIZETHE EXTENT OF THENEED.
IT'S, IT'SHUGE."250 FAMILIES."CAR SWISH"IN A LINE THATSTRETCHES MILES ONTHE SIDE OF OLEANROAD.WAITING TOPICK UP A FREE FOODBOX ON WEDNESDAY."N: WHAT GOESTHROUGH YOUR MINDWHEN YOU OPEN THEDOOR AND YOU SEETHAT LINE?F:TWO THINGS.
ITBREAKS MY HEART.
ITBREAKS MY HEARTTHAT WE HAVE A PARTOF OUR POPULATIONTHAT HAS BEENIGNORED FOR SOLONG THAT THERE'STHAT SORT OF PENTUP NEED.
ON THEOTHER HAND.THANKHEAVENS THERE'S APLACE LIKE THE ROC."THE GOAL OF THERURAL OUTREACHCENTER IN EASTAURORA IS TO "BREAKTHE CYCLE OFGENERATIONALPOVERTY."THE NEED ISGROWING DURINGTHE PANDEMIC."WHAT THE COVIDCRISIS HAS DONE ISTHAT IT'S EXPOSEDTHE LACK OFCOMMUNITYINVESTMENT IN OURRURAL AREAS, SONOW PEOPLE HAVENO SAFETY NETS."40,000 PEOPLE INTHE SOUTHERNPARTS OF WESTERNNEW YORKEXPERIENCE WHAT ISCALLED 'INVISIBLEPOVERTY'.85-HUNDRED DON'THAVE ACCESS TOTRANSPORTATION."IT'S JUST NOT ONANYONE'S RADARSCREEN."IN MARCH.
ROCBECAME A FOODDISTRIBUTION POINTIN MARCH.AT THE TIME THEYSERVED UP TO 120NEIGHBORS A WEEK.THAT HAS SINCEDOUBLED.NATSCERNY SAYS ROC ISHELPING NEIGHBORSWITH MORE THANJUST FOODINSECURITYTHEY'RE ALSOHELPING FAMILIESWITH SCHOOLREADINESS ANDCOUNSELING."PEOPLE NEED TOKNOW THAT THERE ISNO STIGMA HERE.WE'RE SIMPLY HEREBECAUSE WE CAREFOR PEOPLE AND WEWE'RE SIMPLY HEREBECAUSE WE CAREFOR PEOPLE AND WEWANT THEIRWELLBEING TO BETAKEN CARE OF."ND, 7EWN.
Many years we have seen the civil liberty – the basis of classical liberalism – is being under attack by populism, nationalism..