Growing up Hungry I learned early on how important food, or the lack of food, really was.
I grew up in a home where my single mom didn’t know much about budgeting or how to use coupons. I know she was a very frugal woman, but keeping 4 kids fed on the amount of food assistance she received in food stamps never seemed to be enough to last.
Summertime was the worst for us.
During the school year, my mom knew that she only needed to provide 2 meals a day to us because we would get the free lunch program, and that would cover one meal a day. I can just imagine how much more we ate when we were home all day during the summer days which were so long.
I’ve seen how my own kids eat.
The food just never did seem to stretch to the end of the month, and the last week we usually got very creative with sauces and crackers or bread. My brother and I still joke about it today. I can remember times when my stomach wouldn’t be quiet enough for me to sleep at night.
Anyone of us could find ourselves in a desperate position. We saw it happening all around us when everyone was getting laid off just a few years ago.
I’ve shared about the Gleaners Backpack Food Program I had the honor of facilitating at our local elementary school for a few years with my kids.
We spent many mornings at the local food bank picking up food to deliver to the kids at school who needed help with meals during the weekends. It is one of the best memories I have serving those kids alongside my own kids.
I know personally that when school is in session you can feel a little more secure knowing that you’re going to get at least one meal a day.
But what about the summer months when school is out for weeks and weeks?
Thankfully there are people like you and me, and resources like Feeding America and Scholastic’s new Hungry to Help.
Make summer the season to end hunger! Feeding America and Scholastic have developed the Hungry to Help program to engage families and communities on the topic of hunger during the summer months. The Family Action Plan is designed to be a comprehensive resource for parents and children to practice empathy and learn more about how they can support those who struggle with hunger.
One way that we can all work to end child hunger is through teaching our own family to have empathy for those around us.
I am really excited about the Family Action Plan that they have put together for anyone to use to help
The Family Action Plan includes:
- Links and online resources for more in-depth information
- Family conversation starters on the topic of hunger
- Hands-on community action ideas and family activities
- Children’s activity sheet to draw their perfect world
- A summer checklist to track your progress
Get your FREE Family Action Plan
I encourage you to take advantage of the time you have this summer to really make a long-lasting impact on your children, and all of the children they will come in contact with throughout their lives.
We can create a ripple effect that reaches far and wide into our neighborhoods to show that we are caring and kind people that didn’t choose to look away.
This really seems like a no-brainer to me. When you are preparing lunch for your child today, imagine all the moms who are unable to do so for whatever reason.
It is ALL of our responsibility to make sure our children are fed – ALL OF THEM!
*This post is sponsored by Feeding America and Scholastic. The ideas and opinions are all my own.
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