LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — FOX5 has launched Feed the Need, a year-long initiative partnering with Three Square Food Bank and Albertsons to highlight the ongoing fight against food insecurity in Southern Nevada.
The program aims to showcase the year-round nature of hunger and the various efforts to combat it throughout the Las Vegas Valley and surrounding areas.
“We know that there are campaigns and initiatives about food insecurity everywhere and have been ongoing for years. This is us just trying to give a little bit more perspective and insight to that fight here in the Valley,” said FOX5 reporter Evan Leake.
Focus extends beyond holiday giving
The initiative emphasizes that food insecurity affects people throughout the year, not just during traditional giving seasons.
“It is the fact that there are people that are saying, ‘Hey, I’m trying to figure out where my next meal is going right now,’ and on next Tuesday or on April 5th. It’s not just, ‘Oh, it’s the holidays, and I’m hungry,’” Leake said.
“I think it’s trying to understand that this isn’t just something that we need to think about at a certain time of year. It’s all year,”
Seniors highlighted in first story
The program launched with a focus on seniors, a demographic Leake says receives less attention in food insecurity discussions.
“So the first one that did air, which aired a couple of weeks ago, it was highlighting seniors specifically, which I kind of like that being the kickoff because I don’t think that group necessarily gets talked about much,” Leake said.
The story featured a collaboration between Three Square and local libraries that host meals for older adults.
“So we highlighted this program that’s a collaboration with Three Square as well as some of the local libraries that host meals weekly, or in some cases daily, to just a middle-of-the-day meal to invite some of our older folks to come in and have a meal that they don’t have to pay for,” Leake said.
Library program serves dozens daily
The library meal program operates Monday through Friday at East Library, Clark County Library and Whitney Library, with locations rotating hosting duties.
“There wasn’t an empty seat when I went to see this. It was easily 40 to 50 older adults that are sitting down at this table to have a meal that they wouldn’t get otherwise,” Leake said.
The program serves people facing various circumstances, from budget constraints to homelessness.
“We also talked to a gentleman who found himself homeless eight months ago. He’s been living out of his car for eight months. So it’s not just food for him. It’s a big part of it, but this allows him to feel like himself again,” Leake said.
Addressing emotional barriers
The initiative recognizes that food insecurity involves emotional challenges beyond hunger itself.
“There are a lot of people out there, for whatever reason, whether it’s the emotional reason of not picking up food at a food bank, they’re embarrassed, or right now in this country, we have people who are afraid to go to food banks because they’re afraid of their status or whatnot. This actually brings it to them,” Leake said.
Comprehensive coverage planned
The Feed the Need program will cover multiple aspects of food insecurity throughout the year, including volunteer efforts and rural communities.
“We’re going to have stories throughout the year. Whether it’s people struggling through food insecurity, what folks like Three Square or other organizations are trying to do to fight that fight,” Leake said.
“Also from a volunteer perspective, too, a lot of this stuff does fall on the shoulders of those that donate and give their own time to do this.”
The initiative will extend beyond Las Vegas to examine food insecurity in surrounding counties.
“It’s also highlighting some of the areas that we don’t think about. Of course, we are so focused on Las Vegas and Clark County, but it’s not just us. It’s some of our further out areas. Think about Nye County or Esmeralda County,” Leake said.
Personal connection drives coverage
Leake brings personal experience to the initiative, having volunteered with food banks since childhood.
“I did a lot of partnering with Feeding America when I was in college. My dad was taking me to these mobile food banks to volunteer when I was a kid,” Leake said.
“You get that perspective as a kid of you’re helping put all these bags together, and you think, ‘Oh, what’s the big deal?’ Then you see, you see some of your classmates, or I saw some basketball teammates, my age. I’ve just given their family the food they’re going to rely on for the next week or a month,” he said.
Community impact and engagement
The program aims to connect viewers with volunteer opportunities and donation methods while showcasing the community’s generosity.
“This will hopefully provide that clarity in an engaging way, because we are dedicating a lot of time to this stuff. We’re not just throwing this stuff together. I want these to be engaging pieces that can hook people in,” Leake said.
The initiative demonstrates that small contributions can make significant impacts.
“Donating a dollar’s worth of food can put multiple meals out for a family. So it really doesn’t take that much for us to help Feed the Need. It really just comes from a matter of how much we want to help,” Leake said.
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