BEREA, Ky. — This September the Kentucky Association of Food Banks, together with the Feeding America nationwide network of food banks, will mobilize across all 50 states in an effort to bring an end to hunger. Hunger Action Month is designed to inspire people to take action and raise awareness of the fact that 42 million Americans, including 13 million children, are food insecure, according to the USDA.
In Kentucky, more than 700,000 people struggle with hunger and may not know where they will find their next meal. That number includes more than one in every five kids who may not have enough to eat.
September marks the tenth year the Feeding America network of food banks has organized this annual call to action and seventh year the Kentucky Association of Food Banks has participated in the Hunger Action Month movement. This year the campaign will focus on the strong connections between hunger and health.
The Hunger Action Month 2017 campaign asks people to consider how it must feel to live with an empty stomach, which puts a healthy life and a promising future at risk.
“Unless they have access to enough healthy food, Kentuckians struggling with hunger will never reach their full potential,” said Tamara Sandberg, Executive Director of the Kentucky Association of Food Banks. “Childhood hunger is of special concern, since children cannot grow, learn or succeed on an empty stomach. That’s why we’re calling people across Kentucky to take action against hunger.”
“I’ve spent many days on the road this past year, visiting food banks, food pantries, and meal programs and meeting people who are facing hunger,” said Diana Aviv, CEO of Feeding America. “I’ve seen firsthand the anguish that food insecurity and hunger can cause. It is always heartbreaking to meet a mother or father who fears that they will not be able to feed their children. They know that their children cannot reach their full potential if they don’t have enough to eat.”
Hunger Action Day®, the second Thursday in September, is a day where efforts across the country are focused for greater impact.
This year, on September 14th, Kentucky Association of Food Banks asks supporters to share what they couldn’t do without adequate nutrition by writing on an empty plate, “On an empty stomach I can’t ______,” and filling in the blank with something they couldn’t achieve without the nutrition we need to thrive.
Photos of these plates can be posted to social media with #HungerActionMonth, @KYFoodBanks and @FeedingAmerica to join the conversation.
The Kentucky Association of Food Banks and its members have many activities planned in September to engage the community in hunger relief and awareness building, including:
- Rubber Duck Regatta on Sunday, September 3rd at 3 pm EDT in Cincinnati to benefit Freestore Foodbank. Call 513-929-DUCK (3825) or visit www.rubberduckregatta.org
- Day of Service on Wednesday, September 13th from 9 am – 6 pm EDT at Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland in Elizabethtown. Contact Amber Lyvers at 270-735-1407.
- Commonwealth Bowl Kick Off on Hunger Action Day, Thursday, September 14th at 2:00 pm EDT at the Kentucky State Capitol with Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes. Call 859-986-7422 or visit http://kafb.org/commonwealthbowl/
- Hunger Dialogue on Saturday, September 30th at Berea College, sponsored by Kentucky Campus Compact. To register or find out more information, visit http://www.kyhungerdialogue.com/
WoodmenLife has launched a $50,000 online fundraising initiative for Hunger Action Month. Kentucky Association of Food Banks partner organizations are collecting donations through WoodmenLife’s free non-profit fundraising platform Red Basket (www.redbasket.org). All donations are tax-deductible and every dollar donated will go directly to the organization in need. Donations made by WoodmenLife members may qualify for a $25 match from WoodmenLife.
“With the combined effort of Feeding America, the nationwide network of food banks and hunger advocates across the country, the goal of this campaign is to raise awareness about hunger and inspire Americans to get involved,” Aviv said. “The Feeding America network is leading the fight to end hunger in the U.S. We all have a role to play in getting food to our neighbors in need. Advocate. Educate. Volunteer. Donate.”
To learn more about Kentucky Association of Food Banks and other ways you can get involved for Hunger Action Month in Kentucky, please visit kafb.org or HungerActionMonth.org.
— Kentucky Association of Foodbanks
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