Tag Archives: Childhood Hunger

Hunger Hits Home

This… breaks my heart. I can’t watch it without crying.*

Hunger Hits Home – that’s the link to the entire thing. It won’t embed… so here’s the clip they’ve made.


One out of five kids is going hungry in the United States. I can’t even type that without tearing up. (Obviously it’s not a straight up one out of every five kids in any given group…) But I imagine it’s a lot more prevalent than any of us think. I know the kids I teach are provided with lunch, and I imagine a number of them need it.

Some are also sent home with a backpack on the weekends, that has food, etc. It’s provided by a local church in the community.

There’s also this from Feeding America.

Where the kid says he hasn’t eaten in three days… or another says he feels like he’s about to die or pass out from hunger…

I obviously don’t have a solution to this, but I want to raise awareness. Encourage everyone to do what they can – or continue to do what you’re doing.

People remember to give during the holidays… but need is year round.

*Food Network has a special/documentary. It first aired on April 15. (I was at the EDWoD) I meant for this to go live on the 14th as well… but I’m editing it to fit “now.” Hunger Hits Home will air again on April 21 at 6 PM EDT, and April 21, at 10 AM EDT.

It seems obvious, but kids do better in school when they’re well fed. And … that the government has money, and this country has the food and resources to feed people. It’s the awareness of these issues and programs, and distribution.

Consider – even if it’s a one off – donating to a local food bank at a random time. Volunteer at a soup kitchen on an “off day” [a time other than Thanksgiving or Christmas.] Checking into local programs and seeing how it’s being run.

I checked Charity Navigator, but I’m actually not in love with the scores of Feeding America or Share Our Strength… but it’s not as if they’re bad or anything – and I definitely believe it’s better to do something than nothing at all. Consider a local organization – or just going there to check it out, talk to someone.

Summers are often the “problem times” because kids aren’t getting meals from school. Something to think about while you’ve got time to plan and consider if you’d like to help out.

🙂 Thanks for sticking with me through this bleeding heart post. I’d love to hear what you do, or if you plan on doing anything. <3