Fighting Hunger, Feeding America
By Ryan Young
When we think about hunger, we might associate the issue with people living outside of the United States, but you may be surprised to learn that hunger is also an issue that affects millions of people right here in America. Feeding America’s mission is to feed America’s hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and engage the country in the fight to end hunger. As the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity, more than 200 food bank members help 61,000 agencies provide food to more than 37 million Americas each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors. You can learn more about your local food bank and what they are doing to address hunger by visiting FeedingAmerica.org.
America is often referred to as the land of plenty. While that is true in many ways, it is also true that 1 in 6 Americans are struggling with hunger. Many believe that the problems associated with hunger only exist in specific communities, particular neighborhoods, or certain parts of the country. The reality is that there is no one of face of hunger. Hunger is an issue everywhere in America and these people are usually hard-working adults, children and seniors who simply cannot make ends meet and must go without food. No matter where you live, in an urban, suburban or rural community, those around you can be struggling with hunger.
Hunger can affect many groups of people, but one group that suffers greatly is children. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 16.2 million children under the age of 18 in the United States live in households where they are unable to consistently access enough nutritious food necessary for a healthy life. Children who struggle with hunger are more likely to have poor physical and mental health, have trouble in school, and develop behavioral issues. Although hunger is harmful to everyone, it can be particularly devastating for children because of their vulnerability and potential future consequences.
Feeding America serves approximately 14 million children, over 3 million of which are ages 5 and under. We fight child hunger through a number of national programs like the BackPack Program, Kids Cafe, and School Pantry Programs. For more than 15 years, the Feeding America Backpack Program has helped fight child hunger by providing hungry children with healthy and easy-to-prepare food during times when other resources as not available, such as weekends and school vacations. Today, backpacks are assembled at more than 150 food banks and distributed to nearly 230,000 children every year! You can use the Food Bank Locator to see how you can help fight child hunger in your community.
Kat is a testament to how the Feeding America BackPack Program has changed the lives of children across America. Kat lived in a household where food was not always available and she felt many of the effects linked to hunger including physical discomfort and difficultly concentrating in school.
Three Square Food Bank, a Feeding America member food bank, began a BackPack Program at Kat’s local high school during her senior year and because of the BackPack Program, Kat’s grades improved greatly and she no longer felt the physical pains of hunger. You can hear more about Kat’s story in the video below and on the Feeding America blog.
It may seem like hunger is an issue that is way too difficult for one person to solve, but together we can all join in the fight to end hunger for millions of people in America. Some ways you can help are by volunteering at the local food bank in your community, hosting a virtual food drive , collecting donations, or informing your family, friends, and followers on Facebook and Twitter! With nearly 49 million people in America struggling with hunger, it is going to take your help and the help of many other Americans to change the issue of hunger in America.
Feeding America intern Ryan Young was born and raised in Chicago and graduated from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a BS in Media and Cinema Studies. Ryan is a marathoner, devoted older brother and social media enthusiast with a passion for fighting hunger in America!
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