Although the topics of these Moseyin‚ Along visits are often light and entertaining, this week I was overwhelmed by a news story I read that has led me to share a much deeper, more important subject.

One scene was repeated often in our kitchen during my growing-up years. And, I‚ll bet it took place in your kitchen, too.

At the end of the meal, Mom would look at my plate and say with disappointment in her voice, “Joyce, you should finish that food. Don’t you realize how many children are starving in India (or China or Africa)?”

The question was designed to make me reconsider my many blessings. And sometimes...not always...they even made me finish the last of my hated lima beans.

Though you and I are no longer kids, our mothers‚ words are even truer today than they were in those long ago kitchen days.

The news story I read noted that the number of hungry people in the world has now exceeded one billion!

Here, in our well-stocked homes in the resource-rich United States of America, it’s hard to believe that so many spend their lives simply searching for food.

The news piece went on to say that one in six people can be classified as hungry. The increase in hunger is affecting all regions of the world with a “rise in food insecurity.”

According to the latest statistics on the problem, the number of hungry people is growing faster than the world population.

The head of the United Nations‚ World Food Program was quoted as saying, “A hungry world is a dangerous world.” In fact, last year hungry people rioted in at least 30 countries.

The folks at the UN also pointed out that people not only die of hunger itself, but malnutrition weakens the immune system, increasing the spread of disease worldwide.

So, other than ringing our hands, what can we comfortable Americans do about this disastrous situation?

One way to help is to support legitimate programs dedicated to stamping out hunger, both here and around the world. Unfortunately, many of the pleas we see on television divert so much money to the expensive fund-raising methods that little gets to the hungry people who so desperately need it.

But, by giving through our churches and such outreaches as the International Red Cross, you can be sure monies will be sent to where they‚re most needed.

But many families these days...including ours.... simply don’t have the extra cash to donate significantly.

So our answer has been to keep an ongoing bag of groceries in the corner of the kitchen. Into this bag we continually add the extras we can spare. Among these items are the buy-one-get-one-free promotions frequently run at our grocery and drug store.

For instance last week, thanks to these “freebies,”we had the chance to add a box of Ritz Crackers and a bottle of ketchup to our pantry as well as slip a duplicate pair of products into the family “Share Bag.”

When we judge the bag is full enough, we drop it off at the local food pantry or stop by an area homeless shelter. The warm welcome we receive always gives us a lift. And, the food, goes directly to those in the community who need it most.

If you look around, you will find many places near you where your extra food and other staple items will help someone who has less than you do. Start a family “Share Bag” of your own.

Wouldn’t our Moms be proud of us?