The glaring headlines in last Sunday`s Gainesville Sun told the truth of the negative economic times gripping our state: "Florida tourism industry reeling from dismal year," and "City`s median income down 20% since 2000." The unemployment rate in Florida hovers around twelve percent, more than two percent higher than the overall nationwide rate. It`s not hard to see the effects locally, either, with closures of businesses driving some of our neighbors to unemployment lines. Levy County fares even worse than the state as a whole. In our county, the unemployment rate for the past month has been 12.5% or higher. One in five of our county`s residents is living below the poverty level and are eligible for food assistance. Food pantries in our community, as well as other communities in our county, are busier than ever, serving an increasing number of families on a weekly basis; families who do not have enough food to eat nor money to purchase that food. During this season of holiday celebrations, religious meaning, music and merry-making, many of our neighbors are unable to participate. They are just trying to survive, get the kids fed and sufficiently dressed for the cold weather and trying to figure out how to keep their homes warm and pay the bill to do so. As you bustle around, taking cookies to friends and attending special church and community functions, stop for a minute and remember those right here in our community who cannot buy gifts for their children or put sufficient food on their tables. There are many ways you can help: When you shop for groceries, pick up an extra can or two of non-perishable food and drop it off at the Cedar Key Food Pantry or at the library for the Levy County Food Bank; drop some money into one of the cans for the Toys for Tots to help that organization defray the cost of purchasing toys; contact one of the local clubs (Cedar Key Woman`s Club, Eagles, Church groups) to find out what they are doing to help the needy in Cedar Key; donate money to the Clothe-a-Child program; donate usable items to Deja Vu and ask that those items be credited to one of the charitable groups which have accounts there; give outerwear, blankets, hats, gloves, socks to the North Florida Homeless Coalition (a collection point is at the library). | 