The kerfuffle between three of our local hunger-relief agencies - the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service and TABLE on the one hand, and PORCH on the other - is unfortunate.

But it would be truly damaging if it were to lead to a dropoff in donations to any or all of them. It's up to us to make sure that doesn't happen.

The IFC and TABLE announced several weeks ago that they would no longer accept food donations from PORCH because PORCH had begun a direct delivery program of its own. The flap has led to confusion among the public (exacerbated, perhaps, by all those acronyms) and has prompted some folks to choose sides.

The most important thing is not who's in the right (if there is such a thing), but that those in need continue to receive help. That is especially the case this time of year, when holidays can make hardship even harder.

So please, as you do your holiday shopping, think of those who are struggling and do a little something to help. Give to one of the local agencies, or to all of them, or to the human service organization of your choice. You'll make the holidays brighter for someone else, and for yourself.