By Katie Beckmann, Communications Manager
This week’s “Embracing Faith” article will focus on Embracing Faith through Advocacy.
“Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.” -Isaiah 58:7
Over 42 million Americans, including 1 in 6 children, are considered food insecure. (1)
Even with that troubling statistic, Americans will still throw away more than 133 billion pounds of good food this year. (1)
Throughout the years, advocacy groups like Feeding America, as well as local food pantries and non-profits have been working to address these issues in communities nationwide with the mission to end hunger. (1)
Feeding America established September as Hunger Action Month in 2008 with the intent to create a nationwide push to get involved in the hunger crisis in the United States. (1)
In 2019, the September Hunger Action Month campaign is going strong and even expanding.
Here are three ways to help support Hunger Action Month and those who are food insecure.
Volunteer: In Rockland, there are over 40 food pantries and feeding programs that serve over 300,000 meals a month, countywide. Local food pantries often face staffing issues and are usually in need of more volunteers. To learn more about how to volunteer at one of Rockland’s local food pantries, visit: http://www.rocklandhunger.org.
Support: Even a donation as low as $5 can help provide multiple meals to a food-insecure person. Food pantries often rely on donations, as well as funding from local government budgets, for operations and programs.
Raise Awareness: One of the easiest ways to support Hunger Action Month is to use social media. Share posts from your local food pantries and the Feeding America social media pages and when posting, use the hashtag #HungerActionMonth.