Tackling Hunger Month is an annual designation observed in October. This month, everyone is encouraged to lend a hand in making sure nobody goes to sleep on an empty stomach.

 

#TacklingHungerMonth

 

You may not always see it in your community, but hunger continues to affect people in our country. 1 in 6 Americans do not know where their meals will come from on a daily basis. 

 

Once, in ministry, I received a call about a disabled couple surviving on dog food. They didn’t have the resources for groceries or transportation to visit a nearby food bank. I cooked for days, bringing casseroles for the freezer and stocking up their cabinets with nonperishables. 

 

Food insecurity is the official term from the USDA for when people don’t have enough to eat and don’t know where their next meal will come from.

 

Here are 10 ways to help: 

 

1.  Add a few extras while shopping to donate to your local food bank. Canned goods, peanut butter, dry beans, brown rice, olive oil, nuts, and soups are all excellent foods to donate without putting a big dent in your bank account.

 

2.  Donate money. Relief agencies like Action Against Hunger, the Hunger Project, Feeding America, and Share Our Strength are always accepting donations with a goal in mind to make sure nobody goes hungry. Donating to local organizations ensure that your charitable dollars stay in your own community.  

 

3.  Serve at food banks and soup kitchens. Help sort donations or distribute to clients. Serve meals at a feeding center. My Sunday School class recently spent the day serving at the local food bank. It was a great day of fellowship and ministering to others. 

 

4.  Collect cans as a hostess gift. Host a party where guests brings cans to donate to your local food bank. Note: it’s helpful if you can find lids that don’t require a can opener. 

 

5.  Get the kids involved. Talk to your school’s PTA or school administration about holding a friendly competition between classrooms to see who can collect the most of an item like peanut butter or granola bars. Check with a local bakery or pizza place to provide a reward to the winning class as an incentive. 

 

6.  Hold a neighborhood drive. Do the same in your neighborhood but divide up by streets. Make it an annual event by having the winning street hold a trophy for the year that rotates between houses!

 

7.  Host a food drive. Go to Foodlifeline.org. Click “How to help” then “Host a fundraiser.” Click “start now” to set up a virtual food drive. 

 

8.  Stock a mini pantry. Visit LittleFreePantry.org to find a local mini pantry that you can stock with canned goods, nonperishable food items, and other necessities. No free pantry in your area? Follow the instructions on the site to create your own and register it online for your community!

 

9.  Cook an extra meal. Do you know a family who is struggling to make ends meet? Oftentimes a decision must be made between food or electricity. They could be recently laid off, facing medical hardships, or have had an unexpected mechanic bill. While cooking dinner for your family, make an extra batch and deliver. A simple “I thought you might enjoy this” is all that needs to be said. 

 

10.  Feed a child. Support NoKidHungry.org which provides free breakfasts and backpacks full of food for kids. Many churches also participate in these “backpack buddy” programs. 

 

I’ve taught in several schools where kids received these backpacks on Fridays. Oftentimes it was the only food they had to eat over the weekend. 

 

Volunteers help where the need is greatest so check with your local churches or food bank about what opportunities are available. If you or someone in your life is experiencing food insecurity, visit feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank.

 

Jeanni Ritchie is a contributing journalist from Central Louisiana. She can be reached at jeanniritchie54@gmail.com.