Following a very busy Hunger Action Month last month in September when the world was focused on addressing hunger and food insecurity, we again today find ourselves at another important date on the international hunger calendar.
Today is Childhood Hunger Day.
Many of us are familiar with the headline industry statistic: One out of every eight people in the United States is food-insecure.
What about children?
It has been estimated that 7.3 million children live in food-insecure households in our country.
Programs such as the School Breakfast Program and the National School Lunch Program provide meals to approximately 15.5 million and 30 million children per day respectively.
In recognition of National Childhood Hunger Day, we will be providing more than 20,000 pounds of food tomorrow from Montrose Barber Park to food-insecure neighbors. That’s more than 16,000 meal equivalents.
It tugs at our heart strings when we see hungry or malnourished children at our food distribution events. Some likely don’t even realize how hungry they necessarily are.
The gratitude and thanks that we continuously receive from those we serve makes it all worth it.
When people share their written comments with us about how their families and children would not be able to eat without our assistance, it makes it more than worth it.
While we’re on the subject of children, we’d be remiss if we did not recognize the countless children of many ages who accompany their parents or chaperones to help assist us by volunteering at our food distribution events.
Some are there because they might play on a high school athletic team or serve on a National Honor Society chapter at their school and need service time credit.
Others are there because it’s easier for their parents to watch them while they themselves volunteer.
Others simply have big hearts and enjoy assisting others who may be less fortunate than them.
In closing, we’re reminded of a young girl less than five years old with muscular dystrophy who attended one of our recent food distribution events in Tuscola County.
Despite walking with a miniature walker, she was a fireball of activity as she helped load food into the back of vehicles.
Today – on National Childhood Hunger Day – that inspirational young girl in the purple coat is very much with us and she reminds us that if she can help other children receive the food and nourishment they so rightfully need and serve – we all can play a part, too.
