September is Hunger Action Month! At Filling in the Blanks, we treat every month like it’s Hunger Action Month, but we want to take this opportunity to highlight the top four ways you can step up to fight hunger in your local community.
Feeding people in need takes a village! There are a lot of logistics involved, and giving even a couple hours of your time can go a long way. If you are able to s a lot of people coming together and sharing their generosity. We hope you will be one of them!
Tip 1: LEARN UP
Awareness is always step one. Take a little time to read up on food insecurity rates in your city or town, county, and state. You may be shocked to learn how many local families are food insecure.
Sadly, the numbers you find online may actually be significantly lower than actual food insecurity rates right now, due to inflation, increased food costs, COVID aftermath, and not all families reporting this information.
Tip 2: ASK
Ask your local schools what programming they offer for food insecure families. Do they partner with Filling in the Blanks or another nonprofit to send home weekend meals? Are they making it easy for families to apply for free or reduced-price school meals? Are these programs structured in an ethical way, so students aren't singled out or shamed for participating? You can be an advocate by making sure your local schools are doing everything they can to support students and families.
Tip 3: VOLUNTEER
Feeding people in need takes a village! There are a lot of logistics involved, and giving even a couple hours of your time can go a long way. If you are able to volunteer with us in Norwalk, CT, we would love to have you. If you're not local, you can research local food banks and other food distribution programs nearby. Volunteering can be a very rewarding experience for teens and adults alike, and it’s a huge help for charities like ours with small teams.
Tip 4: INVEST
When you invest financially in Filling in the Blanks, you're not just paying for food. You're paying for all of the logistics that go into identifying and feeding children in need, every weekend. And you're investing in the future of our local communities, because when kids have access to nutritious meals it benefits their physical health, social and emotional development, ability to learn, and family dynamics.
If you're able to contribute monthly to fund weekend meals throughout this school year, your ongoing support will be a huge help. $6 per week ($24 per month) provides all of a kid’s weekend meals, every single weekend.
Thank you for being a champion in our communities. No child deserves to go hungry, and we’re on a mission to make sure they never do.
Comments