If you’re endlessly optimistic – like yours truly – then the news has certainly not been your friend as of late. The constant stream of stories about political shenanigans, massive job cuts and the global financial crisis compete with the cheery sounds of Christmas carols, making for one very confusing trip to WalMart. Do I get the special edition copy of The Dark Knight? Or the very frugal – yet timeless – ball in a cup? WWPMD? (What Would Peter Mansbridge Do?)

There’s no denying that we’ve run into some tough times. But we’re not alone. I recently had the opportunity to read a great piece by Yuki Hayashi in the Winter 2009 issue of Canadian Family that delves into a side of this financial meltdown that we may have overlooked – the global food crisis.

While many Canadians find themselves fighting to make ends meet this Christmas, for those who already struggle to provide food for their families every day, our current economic reality is even more of a crushing blow. And it’s not just here – it’s everywhere. Global food prices are skyrocketing. Staple foods like rice and grain are harder to come by. It’s a dismal truth that even the sunniest optimist can’t deny. Dismal, but not hopeless.

To complement Yuki Hayashi’s piece on the global food crisis, I had a chance to research and write about the many ways that we can get involved and help those in need. (If you’re interested, you can read about it here.) While I mostly focused on how you can help families in developing countries, I think it’s important to point out ways that you can get involved locally to ease the struggles of those in your own community. So, while I’m up here on my soap box, I’d like to suggest a few ways you can help out this season (and all year long):

Support a local food bank. Whether you donate food items or just volunteer your time, you’ll be playing a key role in the fight against hunger in Canada. There are drop boxes for non-perishable items all over the place this time of year, so why not make the most of them?

Give the gift of time. Second Harvest is a fantastic organization in Toronto that distributes fresh food – perishable items that would otherwise be thrown away – to those who need it most, via 250 social service programs in the area. And they’re always looking for volunteers!

Sometimes, it does take a village. Student nutrition programs across the province are working to ensure that kids everywhere have the chance to start their day with a full belly, which has been shown to greatly improve learning. By getting involved, you can help to ensure that no child goes hungry at school. 

Any other suggestions? I’d love to hear them! 

Happy Holidays