Buy food for your family or pay this month’s rent to keep a roof over their heads? That’s a dire choice that many people in our community faced in the past year—some on a monthly basis. And it’s just one of the trade-offs that tens of thousands of residents make to avoid hunger.

A landmark study from the national nonprofit Feeding America provides the country’s most comprehensive look at who is hungry and who is helping to feed them. Released earlier this month, Hunger in America 2014 includes a report on detailed local surveys, conducted by All Faiths Food Bank and funded by Gulf Coast Community Foundation, that document hunger and food assistance here in Sarasota County.

All Faiths and its partner agencies serve 51,800 people a year, according to the report. A vivid picture of who they are and how they cope emerges from the local data:

• Hunger in our region has no ethnic or age boundaries.
• Many people assisted by the food bank are hard-working poor. While two-thirds of households that received help earned $10,000 or less annually, almost as many had at least one member working during the past year.
• Poverty and coping strategies to avoid hunger are linked to poor health and other problems that make it harder to sustain a livelihood.
• These struggling families make desperate trade-offs, with many forced to choose between buying food and paying for utilities, medicine, transportation, and more.

One of the most searing images: Almost half of the food bank’s client households had sold or pawned personal property to buy food in the past 12 months. Almost half. If you have not been in that desperate situation, just try to imagine it. 

The study also examined the work of All Faiths Food Bank and nearly 100 of its partner agencies, all serving on the front lines to feed and stabilize our neighbors in need. The survey of these partners demonstrates the critical role that All Faiths plays as the hub of our region’s hunger-relief system. 

All Faiths’ partners rely on the food bank for nearly three-quarters of the food they distribute. Almost 90 percent said that no longer receiving food from All Faiths would have a “major effect” on their programs. Still, a full third of the agencies didn’t have enough food to meet their clients’ needs. Many had to cut back on services, staff, or hours as a result. In other words, thousands in our community need food assistance, and the agencies and programs that provide it need a strong All Faiths Food Bank.

There are several ways our community can help:

• Donate money or food to All Faiths Food Bank.
• Plan a food and fund drive to support All Faiths.
• Volunteer at the food bank or a partner distribution site.
• Learn more about hunger in our region and raise awareness. (September is Hunger Action Month, a great time to get more engaged in this issue.)

A copy of the local report and links to do all of the above are available at GulfCoastCF.org and AllFaithsFoodBank.org.

With its direct connection to poverty and poor health, hunger in our region has implications for health-care costs, productivity, and more. Providing food assistance helps stabilize families, keeps them in their homes, and allows them to better manage health conditions and move toward self-sufficiency. United against hunger, our entire community can become stronger, safer, and smarter.

Teri A Hansen is president and CEO of Gulf Coast Community Foundation. 

It has been said for many years here, “If you want to win an election, you have to run as a

Republican in Sarasota.”  And for years, we have seen many Democrats and independents switch parties when they decide to run for office.  For political operatives who are just looking for a win, it has been a strategy evidenced time and again.  But for the electorate, you get an elected body with no guarantee they will line up with your political ideologies and voters who party hop in order to support their favorite candidate.  I have often wondered why party leaders encourage this when it leaves them with an unpredictable membership. 

While the Republican Party of Sarasota has become the political fat cat with a Cheshire grin, the Democratic Party of Sarasota has taken on the roll of whipping boy for all who need a place to throw their frustrations and disappointments. 

Evidenced this primary election, the tides are turning for both parties.  While the Republican Party enjoyed the spoils of numerous wins and unchallenged seats, it has turned on itself and is starting to eat its own.  Two very similar candidates ran for State House District 74.  With barely a sliver of difference in platform, the party shredded each candidate on looks, intelligence and integrity.  In the School Board race, Republican leadership stepped over well-qualified Republican candidates for the wife of a political operative in exchange for what can only be assumed as a political favor.  The Hospital Board races pitted established Republican Incumbents with last-minute Republican challengers.  And the County Commission candidates experienced a seismic shift of support in favor of predetermined winners and sacrificial lambs.  Candidates that would have been better served in a November election were victimized by fabricated scandals and fear mongering, all for the sake of continual dominance of two distinct groups within the local Republican Party.

While all this goes on, the Democrats have been able to take advantage of being the red-headed stepchild banished to the corner and actually had a serious impact on this primary election.  Yes, it’s true the Democrats have only a one recognized Democratic candidate running in the County race.  But if anyone was paying attention to the endorsement mailer sent out by local Democratic leadership, quite a few Republicans were on their list.  And while I am not suggesting those candidates were really Democrats in disguise, I do want you to recognize the influence the list had on this election.  Take the Hospital Board, where Democrats endorsed all five Republican Incumbents.   All won by incredibly large margins with double the amount of votes cast for them than in the county commission races.  Not a single candidate raised money, sent out mailers or knocked on doors.  The Republican Party stayed completely silent on this election.  The only mailer that was sent out was from the PAC that supports a public hospital.  It listed all five names and was never evidenced to have been carried into the polling booth by a voter.  And how often do you see a group mailer ever be effective?

The School Board race was the same.  All three candidates endorsed by Democratic leadership won the most votes by considerable margins and received the most votes cast in all of the races.  And although it is a nonpartisan race, the three candidates were made up of two Democrats and one Republican. 

The Sarasota Democrats could have just stood by and not gotten involved in these races.  With just a few candidates, it would have been expected that they conserve what little resources they have and focus on a single race or two.  But their “get out the vote” efforts are strong, as seen in the incredible surge of absentee ballot requests.  In this election alone, the Democrats equaled the Republicans in vote-by-mail ballots. 

There is a political shift happening here in Sarasota.  It is no longer a safe bet to run as a Republican.  Candidates and voters need to be more true to themselves and stop listening to the opinions of political operatives who are serving no one but themselves. 

SRQ Daily Columnist Susan Nilon is the president of Florida Talk Radio and owner of WSRQ Radio. She hosts The Nilon Report on WSRQ Sarasota 1220AM/106.9FM weekdays 4pm-6pm. Email her at susan@sarasotatalkradio.com. 

Our inaugural signature soiree, Bal Masqué, is SRQ The Magazine’s biggest event of the year. Your all-inclusive ticket includes your donation to one of our event beneficiaries, cocktails, dinner and amazing performances. Introduce your palette to Venetian fare from Fête and cocktails from Siesta Key Rum and Tito’s Handmade Vodka before the performances from the Circus Arts Conservatory, Fuzión Dance Artists, and Sarasota Cuban Ballet School, begin at 10pm. Don formal attire with a Venetian masquerade twist and get excited for a magical evening at the Sarasota Opera House. Get your ticket and select your beneficiary from: the Circus Arts Conservatory, Child Protection Center Inc., Suncoast Charities for Children and Suncoast Science Center. This years Bal Masqué is dedicated to children. #srqbalmasque 

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Goodwill Manasota continually celebrates all of the awesome individuals in our community.  Now the organization wants to share and highlight the stories of these individuals in it's upcoming campaign.  They want to hear your story about how Goodwill has helped reinvent you.  Has Goodwill helped you find a job, start a business, helped you understand more about recycling, etc.? Share your story with Goodwill  so they can celebrate your awesomeness.  Contact foundation@gimi.org  

Goodwill Manasota

On September 11, McCurdy's Comedy Theatre will donate proceeds of ticket sales to Pines of Sarasota.  In addition to a great night of laughter, there will also be a silent auction where you can bid on amazing prizes such as Tampa Bay Rays baseball tickets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers tickets, gift baskets and more. Comedian Dennis Blair who formerly opened for George Carlin for 18 years is scheduled to perform at 7 pm.  

McCurdy's Comedy Theatre

United Airlines will commence non-stop daily service between the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) and the airline’s New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) effective February 12 through May 5, 2015. In addition to providing easy access to the New York metropolitan area, United’s Newark hub offers one-stop connections to other cities in United’s global route network, as well as connections to additional cities in the Star Alliance network. United already serves SRQ with year-round daily non-stop flights to the carrier’s Chicago O’Hare (ORD) hub. Fredrick J. Piccolo, President, Chief Executive Officer at SRQ stated, “We are thrilled that United has decided to return Newark/New York service to our community. This commitment demonstrates that the Sarasota/Bradenton area is a strong market for our airline partners. The flights to the Newark Liberty hub will provide opportunities for connections to additional destinations, both domestically and internationally, and we look forward to exploring other opportunities for expansion in the future.” 

SRQ Airport

The Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA)  recently celebrated the best in public relations programming at the 2014 Golden Image Awards during its 76th Annual Conference “The Road Best Traveled” in Orlando,  Sarasota-area Central West Coast Chapter (CWC-FPRA) was recognized with multiple image awards and distinctions: Division B: Printed Tools of Public Relations-Golden Image Award – Brochure:  Goodwill Manasota Veterans Resource Guide (Goodwill Manasota); Judges’ Award – Brochure:  Goodwill Manasota Veterans Resource Guide (Goodwill Manasota); Award of Distinction – News Release:  Nik Wallenda Grand Canyon Training (Visit Sarasota County); Award of Distinction – Specialty Item:  Don’t Fear the Finger – Three Year Campaign (Ginya Carnahan, APR, CPRC); Judges’ Award – Specialty Item: Don’t Fear the Finger – Three Year Campaign (Ginya Carnahan, APR, CPRC); Division C: Audio / Visual / Online Tools of Public Relations: Award of Distinction – Online Newsletter: FCCI Corporate Citizenship Report (FCCI Insurance Group, Marketing & Corporate Communications); Award of Distinction – Video Institutional: CS&L Recruiting Video (CS&L CPAs); Judges’ Award – Video Institutional: CS&L Recruiting Video (CS&L CPAs). FPRA is comprised of 15 professional and 7 student chapters throughout the state, providing professional development, networking and professional recognition opportunities. 

Central West Coast Chapter of FPRA