On Saturday, people turned out in record numbers throughout the Black Belt to donate canned goods to the Selma Area Food Bank (SAFB).

The annual “Stamp Out Hunger” initiative, which is sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) gave a big boost in resources for the SAFB.

This year’s collection of 7.300 pounds of canned goods, rice, beans, pasta, condiments and other non-perishable items was the best the food bank has seen.

Hunger is an issue not only in Dallas County but in many areas of our nation.

Hunger can affect people from all walks of life. Many Americans are one job loss or medical crisis away from food insecurity – but some people, including children and seniors, may be at greater risk of hunger than others.

The organization, Feeding America, claims that millions of people struggle to get by because of unemployment, stagnant wages and rising costs of living.

“In a country that wastes billions of pounds of food each year, it’s almost shocking that anyone in America goes hungry. Yet every day, there are millions of children and adults who do not get the meals they need to thrive. We work to get nourishing food – from farmers, manufacturers, and retailers – to people in need. At the same time, we also seek to help the people we serve to build a path to a brighter, food-secure future,” according to the organization’s mission statement.

In a county that has one of the highest unemployment rates in Alabama, Dallas County faces many problems and one of those is hungry people who cannot afford food.

We are thankful for those who have donated to the SAFB and continue to support the efforts the organization is doing to help feed those in need.

Organizations like this deserve our full support.