An Elfing/Giving Tree is just one of the many ways our community helps each other during the holidays. (Provided photo — Diane Chase)

During COVID, my daughter started a local food pantry in Bloomingdale. She was worried about friends who wouldn’t have enough to eat. These people weren’t faceless or nameless. They didn’t live in a different time zone. It wasn’t a matter of just writing a check based on a mailer. They were people she worked with, socialized with, and admired. At the time, this little emergency food box seemed a temporary project. It is not.

More than in previous years, the shelves are bare every time I help restock the Bloomingdale Emergency Food Box. I’ve also never seen so many appeals for food to assist local families in need. It’s worrisome to think the school break will happen this week. For many families, the stress of working, caring for their children, and feeding their family isn’t achievable. Some kids will use their school break to care for siblings or even their parents.

I write about food often because I am grateful for how lucky I am every time I have a full fridge and pantry. Being able to stay on a budget and deciding to do without is different than having to choose which bill to pay and having to do without.

Though I may paint a grim picture, the news isn’t all bad. Local businesses continue to donate toys and fundraise for food pantries. At the same time, organizations like Saranac Lake Holiday Helpers and North Elba Christmas Fund put together food and gift baskets for those in need. I’m not surprised by the generosity of our communities. It makes my Grinchy heart believe in the goodness of people.

As we all know, the holiday will pass, and people will still struggle to put food on their table. With the outstanding assistance of my seventh-grade neighbor, Coral, the Bloomingdale Emergency Food Box will remain stocked with dried goods through the winter. Let’s keep that holiday feeling and goodwill toward all humans going year-round. It is a shame when we shame people for asking for help. We can all use more empathy.

If you or someone you know needs food, please direct them to official food pantries so they can receive balanced meals and services: Saranac Lake JCEO: 79 Canaras Ave, Door 17; Saranac Lake Interfaith Food Pantry, 57 Church Street; St Paul’s Assumption Church Food Distribution Center, 7 Cold Brook Rd, Vermontville; Lake Placid Ecumenical Food Pantry, St. Agnes Church 169 Hillcrest Ave. The Bloomingdale Food Box is always an available emergency resource. Stay safe.