Big News: Royal Weddings, Osama bin Laden and a Bowl of Soup

The news lately has been big – Royal Weddings, Osama bin Laden’s death, tornadoes and more tornadoes; exciting and scary stuff.  It’s easy to get caught up in big events.  I had great fun at a Royal Wedding party last week – arriving at 4:45 a.m. to find the hostess in her pajamas and a hat serving scones, jam & cream and champagne!  Other big news has not been as festive, but death and destruction have their rightful place on the front page.

At Loaves & Fishes we specialize in little news.  I’d love to see a headline in the Charlotte Observer proclaiming the end of local hunger. No more children going to school without breakfast, no families suffering food insecurity, and no need for soup kitchens or pantries.  But that is not likely to happen in our lifetimes. 

What does happen day in and day out is the joint efforts of thousands of people – volunteers and donors who make little headlines in the lives of ordinary people.  In three months Loaves & Fishes has provided a week’s worth of food to 23,712 people.  Wholesome, nutritious food – to keep folks not just satisfied but healthy.  Hot cereal on cold mornings, bowls of soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch and hearty suppers.  Won’t make the front page, but makes a world of difference to 23,712 local folks.