It's time for caring people to give a hand to Philabundance, the region's largest hunger-relief agency, which faces having to eliminate a free milk program for poor youngsters unless it can raise thousands of dollars.
The predicament is just another bad sign of the slumping national economy, as desperately needed food donations to feed the hungry continue to decline.
The Inquirer reported that Philabundance officials suspended the milk program in an efort to save the nonprofit $200,000 annually.
As understandable as that decision may be, it begs the question: What about the children?
The Fresh Foundations program currently provides weekly milk deliveries to 18 after-school and day-care agencies that serve more than 1,000 children in the Philadelphia area.
For many of the children, it could be the only milk they get to drink. Some low-income children do qualify for free milk until age 5 under the federal Women, Infants and Children nutrition programs (WIC).
Agencies were stunned when Philabundance told them the milk program would be halted Jan. 1 unless funds are raised. Free milk will be available until then, but participating agencies must now pick it up at Philabundance warehouses. That, too, creates a problem because some agencies say they don't have vans or cars to pick up the milk.
Philabundance spokeswoman Marlo DelSordo said the nonprofit has made a public appeal to raise $80,000 to $100,000 to save the program. She said the agency has already received a generous outpouring of support - but not enough.
Budgets everywhere are stretched thin. But anyone looking for a charitable cause to support would do well to consider a donation to the Philabundance milk program.