Go Orange For Hunger Action Month

No, I'm not hungry. I'm one of the lucky ones. But that doesn't mean I'm not involved with FeedingAmerica.org. It doesn't mean I'm not going orange for hunger action month.

 

We all have a personal responsibility to help those in need. Whether we volunteer, or just drop off food at food banks, send a check, or invite a family we know is struggling to dinner we all can make an impact on hunger in America--hunger in our own communities--friends who are struggling, family who need help. Stop and think about who in your circle of friends and acquaintances might be hungry. Then take action.

 

The action you take may be different than what your neighbor does. This isn't a race to see 'who can top this.' This is about taking personal action and doing or donating what you can. Sometimes it's time, sometimes it's money, sometimes it is increasing awareness of hunger in our communities. Sometimes it's donating that overflow from your garden to someone who needs it.

 

 

Whether you set up a virtual food drive, give money on a monthly basis, or when it comes to someone's birthday, donate in their name, FeedingAmerica.org offers dozens of ways you can donate anything from $12 and up. $12 helps feed a child breakfast for three months--think of it--three months without a child going hungry each morning. What greater gift could there be?

 

It is also important in these days of legislative cutbacks to let your senators and representatives know that you want them to vote to keep food programs alive and well funded. There are many government programs that are simply waste. We need them to know this is a program that has non-negotiable cuts.

 

Go to  http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml  to find the names and addresses of your representatives. If you don't have time to write a personal letter to your elected officials set up a tweet that you can re-tweet frequently to remind them of your priorities. Post on their facebook pages. Get their attention using whatever means you like.

They work for you--be sure they know taking action against hunger is top priority.

 

To find out more about hunger and FeedingAmerica.org look for blogging sites that have 'gone orange' for the month. Hear personal stories that will tug at your your heart. And then do something about it.

 

Are you a blogger looking for information? Read Creating Motherhood. It is all about a call to action. Will  you help fight hunger in our country? I hope the answer is yes.

 

5 Facts About Hunger: And Hunger Could Be Coming To A Home Near You

Hunger Facts:

• One in five children in the USA don't get enough to eat.
• Nearly half of SNAP participants are children.
• Over 46 million Americans, seniors, children, people with disabilities all rely on SNAP to feed themselves or their families.
• The average SNAP benefit is about $1.48 per meal.
• More than two-thirds of the funds in the most recent Farm Bill help feed these hungry kids, seniors and others through Federal Nutrition Programs. And the current Farm Bill wants to cut SNAP subsidies drastically.

SNAP (the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) doesn't just help children. It also helps my daughter Kate and other disabled adults like her buy groceries. But SNAP helps more than just the disabled, it's helps millions of families in need pay for food so that no one goes hungry.

This week as long term unemployment benefits ran out in Pennsylvania and a host of other large states, SNAP is going to have a lot more applicants.  A lot of other hungry people with no where else to go. Our food pantries are more empty than at any other time in recent history.

Hungry? How is it possible in this land of abundance that any man, woman or child goes hungry? It happens...everyday. In a home near you. Unemployment, disabilities, underemployment, all leave families and individuals vulnerable and hungry.

Is hunger coming to a home near you? To a neighbor? To a relative? To your home? What would happen if your spouse was suddenly ill and couldn't work? What would happen if suddenly you could no longer provide for yourself and your children? If the federal nutrition program is cut, you'd have nowhere to turn. The food banks are nearly empty.  Charitable giving is at an all time low. You could ... dare I say it...STARVE.

How can you help? Aside from donating at your local food bank, you need to contact the members of Congress in your district. Tell them why you want them to support the Farm Bill and why SNAP is important to you. Visit the web site No Kid Hungry at http://nokidhungry.org/farmbill to share your story with them or make a pledge. Contribute to and support Share Our Strength, a national non-profit, to help them help end childhood hunger in our country by connecting them with nutritious foods so they can lead a productive life. Their No Kid Hungry campaign helps be sure children are in contact with community organizations that fight hunger, it educates families about cooking healthy and affordable meals, and it works in cities near you.  Visit their website at Strength.org for additional information.

Tis The Season

Tis the season for gift giving--and not just fancy computers, televisions, iPods, new clothes or handbags or whatever other luxury your heart desires.  It's also the time to remember that there are others out there who need the basics of food and shelter.  People who are struggling to survive day to day.

When we were growing up we gave at church, school, and filled the Salvation Army coffers, and our local grocery stores, scout troops or schools collected cans and Toys For Tots to be sent to those in need.  But in this age of computers we no longer have to even leave home to donate.  We can run our own cyber-charitable campaign.

Sponsored by Jo-Lynne Shane author of Musings of A Housewife Blog

A web site called You Give Goods lets us each set up our own charitable drive or donate to others like Philadbundance or The Pottstown Cluster (a group of religious communities banding together to nourish families in need.)  Two local bloggers, Jo-Lynne Shane author of Musings of A Housewife blog (supporting The Pottstown Cluster) and Tina Creaney Seitzinger of Life Without Pink (supporting Philabundance) are two bloggers who set up their own food drives using You Give Goods.

Philabundance supported by Tina Creanery Seitzinger Author of Life Without Pink Blog

You Give Goods lets you look at a group of items to purchase (with the price of a case of them next to it) and you just click on your choice of purchases to donate and they are bought by the case without the markup you'd pay if you were buying them yourself at the grocery store.  Not only do they buy in bulk, but you don't have to pay for gas to get to the store, buy the food there, and then put them in your car and head to your local food pantry for distribution. 

It's charitable giving made easy through the use of social media and the web -- modernized giving at it's best!  Goods for purchase start at $5. 

Even if all of us donated $5 for every $100 we spent on the holidays this year it would swell the inventory at food pantries or help provide money for other social programs. The program greatly reduces the costs and time to manage an 'old fashioned' drive and reduces the gas needed to deliver it, freeing up more dollars and time for the organization in need. 

You Give Goods was developed by a group of New Jersey friends who wanted to find a way to increase the efficiency of charitable giving.  The result of their brainstorming is You Give Goods--an innovative way to manage charitable giving for food pantries, shelters (for people and animals), or other organizations across the country in need of assistance.  Since it's launch in September, You Give Goods has launched over 100 drives. 

Who starts a You Give Goods campaign? You do! Your neighbors, scout troops, homerooms, service groups, (bloggers like us), businesses, schools...the list goes on. Is it too late to start giving?  It's never too late to start a campaign.  49.2 million Americans are living in poverty--someone will always be hungry or in need of assistance for housing or clothing.  Yes, YOU can make a difference.  And you can start today.

That's one of the most important lessons I ever learned in life.  It all begins with you.  Even if you won't have a great campaign by the holidays this year, aim for the Easter holidays, or any other date of your choice.  Want to read about others who've made the leap to organizing a drive? Head to this media link and read all about them--they have one thing in common--a desire to give to others.

Kudos to Jo-Lynn and Tina for alerting the local bloggers to this great way to raise money.  It's as easy as You Give Goods, You, and your social media contacts.  So give some good ... someone is always in need.