Police jump into help out

Friday, December 2, 2011

The Merrimack Police department is sponsoring a community-wide food drive and needs your help.

As we reported in last week’s Merrimack Journal, residents can drop off canned goods and nonperishable items at the Merrimack Police Department through the end of the year. A collection box has been placed in the Police Department’s lobby, where donations can be dropped off at any time.

The donated good will be distributed to Merrimack food pantries throughout the holiday season.

Again, as our story said, local and state food pantries have been hard hit with requests for food. The Police Department wants to support needy residents, and providing the local food pantries with donated goods is one way police can help.

So, here’s how you can help, again according to our story: The Merrimack Police Department is asking that residents buy “just one more” item when shopping and drop them off at the Police Department. Your donation will go a long way to help a Merrimack family this holiday season, the police said.

And that’s very true. It’s the time of year when giving is foremost in our minds but “getting” isn’t all that far behind, and if you’re one of the poorer people in our state or nation, that isn’t going to get anything, well, it hurts.

Really. It hurts not to get a little something during the holidays because it reminds you of how you are one of the “have-nots” in a country where the “haves” just keep getting more.

Between 1979 and 2007, according to the Washington Post, the top 1 percent of Americans, in terms of income, garnered 38.7 percent of the income growth. The top 10 percent grabbed off 63.7 percent of that growth. Bet they have warm mittens.

And it would be nice if people who need warm mittens could get a pair this winter, thanks to the Merrimack Police Department and you.

So, help if you can.