Our veterans need your help in this time of need

Food insecurity for veterans COVID-19 has brought unprecedented challenges for all Americans, including Floridians. As a result, the demand for food assistance has increased at an extraordinary rate. While food insecurity — which is defined as the lack of access to enough nutritionally adequate foods to live an active and healthy life — is a serious issue impacting millions of Americans, it is particularly concerning for our service men and women.Given this critical need, Humana, the VFW and offices within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs are mobilizing donors and volunteers for the “Uniting to Combat Hunger” campaign in an effort to help food insecure veterans. By donating directly to VA medical centers, we can assist our service men and women and ensure donations go directly to those experiencing food insecurity or are at risk of food insecurity, whether it’s providing food, gift cards to grocery stores or basic supplies they need during this difficult time.While our team’s efforts have helped to provide more than 200,000 meals thus far, we invite citizens and organizations to help by visiting www.vfw.org/utch and making a monetary donation to a VA medical center near you. Now more than ever, it’s important we don’t take anything for granted — including access to food. Let’s work together to ensure no one goes hungry and honor the service and sacrifice of our veterans and their families. William J. “Doc” Schmitz The writer is the commander-in-chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Perspective section | May 24 The Perspective section in Sunday’s paper was a wonderful tribute to remember this Memorial Day. Those types of memories need to be published each and every patriotic holiday. I was moved by both, as I am the daughter of a USCG World War II veteran, daughter-in-law of a USMC WWII veteran, a wife of a US Army Vietnam-era veteran, a mother of an Operation Iraqi Freedom US Army veteran, and a current US Army mom of an Army pilot. Our nation has been defended by men and women for almost 250 years. They all deserve mention and all the honor and glory of having served so that we may remain free, the envy of the world. Let’s never forget. Carol Hess, Hudson Fight the pandemic as one region | Column , May 26 Now the Tampa Bay Partnership wants to aggregate the regional COVID-19 statistics to make their home county look better. Work regionally to solve the problem, but keep the county-by-county statistics separate. Hal Freedman, St. Petersburg Evictions stack up, despite order | May 24 The CARES Act granted a $600 weekly federal payment to those who are unemployed. This would be in addition to any state benefits that might be available. Both required separate filing and review before payments could begin. Both state and federal systems proved faulty, resulting in delayed payments.One wonders how much better off our economy could be if the millions of unfulfilled filers had received up to nine weeks — $5,400 — of the federal payment. That’s money that would circulate in the form of rents, groceries, health care. Ample evidence shows how prompt emergency payments have been beneficial to business interests. Gregory Matthews, St. Petersburg Celebrate foster care providers | Column , May 26 The Florida Coalition for Children and other nonprofit agencies that provide child welfare services throughout Florida are to be commended for their commitment to care for children and families in the best of times, but especially in the face of challenges presented by COVID-19. Children are our future.Millions of children worldwide face long-term developmental challenges caused by malnutrition. The Global Child Thrive Act will mandate that early childhood development interventions be integrated into existing U.S. government international programs focused on children and their families, ensuring that U.S. foreign aid programs will help children thrive — not just survive — without calling for additional funding. Let us thank Congress for addressing needs of vulnerable people at home and globally and urge our representatives to co-sponsor H.R. 4864. Jane Martinson, New Port Richey Helping our community As someone who has lost two family members to crime and violence, I know firsthand how indispensable services can be for preventing crime, supporting public health and helping crime survivors. I work with a network of community service providers that serve neighborhoods with high rates of crime, as well as high rates of COVID-19. In even the best of times, these providers of mental health, domestic violence, violence prevention, drug treatment and reentry services did not have the resources they needed to meet the demand for their services. Now, because of the combined public health and economic impacts of the coronavirus, many of these providers are near their breaking point.The federal CARES Act provides us with an opportunity to finally invest in these crucially important service providers. Millions are now available across the state, with a total of $1.5 million dispensed to Hillsborough and Pinellas counties and the cities of St. Petersburg and Tampa to fund criminal justice and safety priorities. Instead of putting this money into policies that further over-incarceration, our local government should invest it to sustain these community-based crisis services so they can meet the expanding needs of people in vulnerable communities like the one I grew up in.If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it is that we should focus on strengthening our communities and making them safer. Calvin Brown, St. Petersburg

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