The giving season arrives

By The Gazette Editorial Board

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The biggest holiday season of the year has begun. So has the biggest giving period. Giving, as in gifts to family and friends, sure. Just as important or more so is giving to those who suffering tragedies and financial hardships.

This giving season is no different from most, other than there are more poor and unfortunate among us.

In Iowa, the poverty rate was 10 percent in 2000. It's approaching 13 percent this year, and is nearly 17 percent among children.

Eastern Iowa food pantry managers are holding their collective breath as their heaviest demand period begins. Many say the big jump in clients they saw in 2012 may be matched this year.

The shrinking middle class and growing low-income population in the wake of the Great Recession gets much of the blame. And just recently, a 13.6 percent cut in the federal SNAP (formerly, food stamps) program is adding stress to the social safety net.

“My fingers are crossed we'll get through it and this is the peak because it's the first month (of benefit reductions. But it's scary out there,” Amanda Pieper, HACAP Food Reservoir director, told a Gazette reporter this week.

Though we disagree that cutting SNAP is a good way to help reduce the federal budget deficit, more reductions are likely soon. So it seems Iowans need to step up and help their own even more than we usually do.

This year, legislators and the governor OK'd $1 million of first-ever state support for Food Bank of Iowa, the first of its kind. We'd like to see that renewed in 2014, perhaps expanded, depending on the need. The state's budget is sound and capable.

Meanwhile, closer to home, no one can give to every worthy cause, but most of us can at least pick out a favorite charity or program or two and do a little more. Cash and food donations are vital but getting out of your “comfort zone” to volunteer time to assist agencies also is helpful, as well as instructive.

Together, let's make sure all Eastern Iowans have reason to be hopeful not only this holiday season, but all year long.

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