Hunger not a seasonal thing.

Last month was Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The folks at Komen have created an extraordinary event driven juggernaut. Sadly, there are so many different cancers and cancer is a 24/7/365 disease. The pink is gone. Cancer isn't.

The same applies to hunger in America. This is the time of year when the hungry are in the news. Like cancer, hunger is a year-round problem and growing. What's changed the most is who is going hungry in our nation. You'd be surprised. Volunteering at a local food bank recently, it didn't take long to realize that the scruffy image of the hungry/homeless too many of us have in our minds isn't the norm. The people we helped were well groomed, intelligent and...hungry. Single people, families with kids, people who could be our neighbor. They just might be, we just don't know it.

I'm priviledged to serve on the board of directors of the Jeffco Action Center. Along with a food bank, the Action Center provides counseling, emergency shelter and rent assistance, operates a clinic, provides free clothing and other services. The food bank distributes an average of 4 tons of food a day.

4 tons.

Special focus is put on the hungry at Thanksgiving. Many, but not all the hungry get a Thanksgiving dinner through the generous help of donors and volunteers and agencies like the Action Center.

Many, but not all and Thanksgiving is just one day. That leaves 364 other days.

The need is year-round. The economic mess has forced many families to go from donors, to receivers of help instead. Solid "middle class" families.

It's a problem we have to solve. It all starts with volunteering an hour or so each month. It all starts with donating a dollar or a can of food. It all starts with us.

Please give in some way today, tomorrow and every day you can. This is the United States of America. No one should go hungry in this great nation.

No one. Otherwise we stop being a great nation.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We start the conversation about you"

Colorado Kids Going Hungry. Why?

I attended the annual meeting of the Jeffco Action Center last night. Prior to the meeting, as a board member, we discussed child hunger. The Action Center distributes four tons of food every day. It's a stunning number and double what we distributed just a couple of years ago.

Last night's Keynote Speaker was Chris Watney from the Colorado Children's Campaign who told us that according to just released census statistics for 2000-2009, Colorado has the fastest growing number of kids going hungry in the nation. In perspective, the overall hunger rate here is lower than many other parts of the country but the growth rate is still alarming. Denver County leads in the growth, but seemingly "affluent" communities like Jefferson County are also showing growth. Even here in Douglas County.

It struck me during the presentation that not once, has any candidate at any forum I've attended or in campaign ad I've seen, mentioned child hunger. They're too busy attacking each other and once elected spend most of their time raising money to get re-elected. Meanwhile, kids are going hungry.

So it's up to us. You can help by contributing or volunteering with organizations like the Jeffco Action Center. Another wonderful group is Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver. There are many others to choose from in your community.

No kid, anywhere, should ever go hungry. Together we can make a difference. Let's start today.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We start the conversation about you"

Got time? Want to make a difference?

Time.

It seems we never have enough of it. Perhaps it's more about managing the time we have because we all get 24 hours a day. Time is the ultimate equalizer.

A lot of people spend at least some of their time volunteering in the community. My two favorites are The Jeffco Action Center and Wings over the Rockies Air and Space Museum. The former because of the huge and growing need, the latter because I love aviation.

I'm privileged to serve on the board of directors of the Jeffco Action Center. Many committee meeting start at 7:30am. While the doors of the center open at 9am, it always touches me to see people already lined up for help when I arrive.

These are good people. At Jeffco many people who used to donate, are now clients. If you wonder why, just look at the economic news, not the least of which is an unemployment rate that hovers around 10%.

When the money runs out, they turn to Jeffco. The Jeffco Action Center is just one of many such fine volunteer supported agencies around the country. So my plea to you this Friday is to take a look at your schedule, think about how you could spend even an hour a week making a difference, then finding an organization where you can make a difference in your community.

People are already lined up for help as you read this. Please think about helping them. You can make a difference. If you want to. You do have the time.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We start the conversation about you"