A few students from the University of MD participated in the challenge and blogged about their experiences. Many wrote about their concerns regarding the lack of nutritious meals, variety and the feeling of intense hunger. Click here to read the blogs.
Now that the challenge has ended, we have the perfect opportunity for reflection and action. Could you live on $4.30 a day for food and if you could, would you be able to purchase healthy options and create well-balanced meals for yourself and family? If you were in a position to help would you?
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| The new face of hunger? - Photo courtesy of FeedingAmerica.org |
The face of hunger is changing in America. The new hungry is now the educated and middle class. Many rely on food banks or other food programs to keep food on the table. Most of us know someone who is hungry. Now is your chance to make a difference! You don't have to have a lot of money and you don't have to save everyone. Just make a commitment to do something:
- Donate food or volunteer at your local food bank
- Adopt a family or individual in your community: purchase grocery store gift cards; collect packaged food from family members and friends and give to the family; or when you cook for your family, make a little extra and share of the cooked food
- Participate in public events to raise money for the hungry (check for events in your area)
- Write to your governor about hunger in your state and in your community
There are many things you can do to help. Find creative ways to give back and make a difference in your community. Enlist the help of your family, friends and colleagues--chances are many of them would jump at the opportunity to help. Feeling bad for those in need is not enough. Get involved!
Articles:
USA Today: New breed of Americans going hungry
If you are hungry and in need of food, search for resources in your state by going to a search engine and typing in something like "hungry in (your state or city)." If you do not have internet access, call the mayor's office in your city and ask for telephone numbers for food banks and food programs in your area.
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Seasoned & Stirred!
It's sad what is happening. I have worked in home health and we would give some of the people food from my parent's garden if they would let us. My family also had to live on food stamps for awhile when I was a kid. It's good thing back then we lived on a dairy farm, because we could get eggs, and milk and grew a lot of veggies for free. I feel for these people. It's really hard to eat on that little...
ReplyDeleteHi Amanda! I agree--it is very sad that a country as rich in resources as ours cannot come up with a better support system to feed the hungry. It is nice to know that families like yours are doing what they can to help others. I'd love to see more community food gardens and food co-ops.
ReplyDeleteThe worst part is, is that if we had a government that was a good "steward" over what they have, there would not be ONE hungry soul in this country! If you knew how much money they squander in this country, you would cry for days...
ReplyDeleteHi Steve, thanks for visiting S&S and for your comment! There's plenty of blame to go around but what I'm not seeing is enough accountability and commitment from average citizens. We need to stop waiting for "the government" to fix problems that we can solve ourselves. If we all (those of us who are fortunate to have regular meals) shared some of what we are blessed with we could really make a difference.
ReplyDeleteLet's be a part of the solution--so dig in that freezer of yours or plant some fruits and vegetables and help feed some hungry people...and invite your family members, friends and colleagues to do the same. God bless you! :>)