This holiday season, give to those most in need

For most people, enjoying three good meals per day and occasionally eating out at a nice restaurant is something we take for granted.

But in Petaluma and Sonoma County - a city and county known for a high cost of living and premier fine dining venues - there are a growing number of people who simply can’t afford to put food on the table without assistance from local agencies.

While many people in our community may be unaware of the magnitude of this local hunger crisis, the number of local residents seeking hunger relief in Petaluma and other parts of Sonoma County continues to skyrocket.

Either because they have lost their jobs or are working at low-paying jobs that leave them unable to afford food and other necessities, these people need our help.

According to the county’s hunger index, 70,000 at-risk Sonoma County households, including many in Petaluma, missed nearly 34 million meals in 2015. These are not necessarily homeless people. The county human services department tracks low-income families and seniors that simply can’t afford to buy the groceries for three meals a day.

A decade ago, the Meals on Wheels program, which serves low-income Petaluma seniors, was delivering 60 meals per day. Now that number is 200. Many seniors are vulnerable due to the combination of being on fixed incomes and incurring higher medical costs. Often they are forced to choose between paying for food or other expenses, such as gas for their car, utilities, medicine or rent.

In addition, more middle-class people, many of them former donors to food and assistance programs, are turning up at food pantries. The new faces of the hungry very well may include someone you know.

So far, the Redwood Empire Food Bank and other assistance programs have been able to keep up with the increasing demand to feed the hungry. But all indications are that the demand will continue to grow, and that more help will be needed. Increased donations of food, money or volunteer time are essential to meet this need.

Working with the Food Bank are the Committee on the Shelterless, Petaluma Bounty, weekly food pantries and the Meals on Wheels program operated by Petaluma People Services Center. To learn how to help these organizations, contact them directly:

Redwood Empire Food Bank: refb.org, 523-7900.

COTS: cots-homeless.org, 765-6630.

Petaluma Bounty: petalumabounty.org, 775-3663.

Petaluma People Services Center: petalumapeople.org, 765-8488.