It is easy to forget sometimes how close many of our neighbors are to being food insecure. Whether it be a missed paycheck or a new diagnosis, one can find themselves there very quickly. It is comforting to think of those less fortunate than us as somehow different, but the line we draw is incredibly thin. This week, we invite you into that thin place with us to not only know our food insecure neighbors better, but also to appreciate how many live so close to being food insecure. By reaching an understanding of how our neighbors became food insecure, we not only think of them more as equals, but also we can begin asking the important question: “how do we make fewer people food insecure?”

40 Cans for Lent invites us to donate 40 cans to the pantry over the 40 days of Lent and to do eight weekly practices that raise our awareness of the lives of those experiencing food insecurity. This pilgrimage isn’t simply about giving food. It’s also helping us see people around us in new ways and the challenges of a food-insecure life. Let’s walk in the wilderness with those experiencing food insecurity and supply our pantry for its ministry.