League
News 3 LV: Former NBA star and Las Vegas non-profits host food drive to fight food insecurity
By BIG3 July 19, 2021
By: Alexis Goree
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Several non-profits in Las Vegas gathered for a food distribution event to fight food insecurity Sunday.
Former NBA star Stephen Jackson joined Feeding Children and Families Across America, Girls Athletic Leadership School, Murphy’s Produce and seven other local non-profits to fill up cars with fresh goods.
And for those who couldn’t make the food drive, volunteers took boxes to apartment buildings across the Las Vegas valley.
“Everybody can’t pull up so we’re going to pull up on them.”
Meeting families where they are, that’s how Jackson is helping to fight food insecurity not only here in Nevada but across the nation.
He’s in town to coach the Big 3 basketball tournament. “It makes no sense to be here, coaching these basketball games and not spend time in the community while I’m here,” Jackson said.
He’s on stop 19 to tackle hunger and is on a mission to hit all 50 states.
“Just like we make money, we can make food, we can end hunger, we can end homelessness,” Jackson said.
Murphy’s produce traveled from San Diego to the Las Vegas valley today to feed 1,200 families. Each family got 17 to 20 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables.
“Our goal is to give the about a week’s worth of food,” said Beau Blouin, CEO of Connective Human.
Blouin, a community partner of Feeding Children and Families Across America admits this one-day event is only a band-aid on a bigger problem.
“You know it’s estimated 1 in 6 children may fall into food insecurity meaning they are going to be children that basically can’t have access to fresh food,” Blouin said.
Here in Nevada, the Serving Our Kids Foundation said that statistic drops to 1 in 4 children.
“And we’re about to see the moratorium on evictions lifted here so we expect to see that number rise and we’re all headed back to school,” said the non-profits spokeswoman.
Besides more organizations springing into action to host food drives. Blouin said to fight food insecurity means having an honest discussion.
“Actually getting to the root of the problem on an economic level to help people come out of the pandemic and be more stable,” Blouin said.
A panel discussion with political leaders Sunday revealed, helping families recover economically from the pandemic can fuel a change in food insecurity. For example, more affordable housing.
As Jackson explained, the need is everywhere, and everyone has a part to play.
“At the end of the day it’s not rocket science, treat people how you want to be treated. And that starts at the top, people that are living fine, people that are doing well. They don’t care about the little people. And that’s people of all races because it’s people of all races who are struggling,” Jackson said.
Sunday July 18th, 2021