Child Hunger Ends Here #childhunger

Child Hunger Ends Here. Child hunger is a cause that we sometimes take for granted and even overlook. I know that might seem like a harsh statement and one you don’t think is true. But, really, it isn’t harsh and it IS true. Did you know that the kids next door to you might be hungry? Their dad or mom might be laid off from work and haven’t yet received food assistance. Or they might fall just above the income requirements to receive food assistance, yet not have enough income to actually feed everyone. Maybe the bills are piling up and the family just doesn’t know how to manage the money so that everything gets paid and there isn’t enough food on the table.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Motherhood and Child Hunger Ends Here. All opinions are strictly my own.

Did you know? During the school year, 21.5 million children rely on free or reduced-price meals to help them keep from going hungry. When school is out, only 2.3 million children participate in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). This means there are millions of children at an increased risk of hunger during the summer. You can help by purchasing participating ConAgra Foods products and entering those codes to trigger meal donations.

I have to jump on my soap box for just a minute here. Please bear with me. But this is something that really drives me crazy.

There are people out there that look down on those who receive food assistance, no matter the reason. They think that anyone who is “poor” or of lower income or on government assistance is a “low life” or lazy and doesn’t work. And that’s just not true. Sure, there are some out there who take advantage. But there are many, MANY families who just need a little help to feed their families. Some even in high end neighborhoods. And it isn’t because they “keep having babies they can’t take care of”, “need to get an education” and “get off their lazy butts and get a job”. I’ve heard those blanket statements geared toward everyone on assistance and I can’t stand it.

Those people that make those kinds of statement? Those are the people who are uneducated. They are the ones who need to look beyond the ends of their noses at the real problems in their communities and help the children AND FAMILIES who need it. Sometimes, circumstances require us to seek help in monetary, food and health issues. Some people think their high paying job is all they need to get by in this world. But what if the company went bankrupt? What if they or their spouse became ill or hurt? What if their child got sick and they missed work and DIDN’T QUALIFY for government assistance? Or did and accepted it? There are so many scenarios as to why someone might need assistance or why that family is going hungry.

Many people just don’t know how to seek help. They don’t know where to go or who to ask. It might seem simple to us, but not everyone knows that there ARE resources out there. Or they have faced the judgement of those who think they have a right to look into other peoples shopping carts, judge them on what they are purchasing and how they are paying for it. So they are embarrassed to even ask for help! And many children are going hungry. Right in our own neighborhoods. And that makes me sick.

I have 4 kids. My husband has been laid off from work. Several times, actually. And let me tell you this. If it ever comes to the point that MY children are going hungry because we can’t put food on the table, you better believe my husband and I will seek assistance in every way that we can! We would manage the money or food money to make it last throughout the month. But the kids would NOT go hungry in order to make that money last.

Coupons can make food go a long way. There are many programs like Child Hunger Ends Here that can help make sure your children are being fed when for one reason or another, you might not have enough. And another thing. And this is sort of a side note but one I touched on when I spoke of others looking in someone else’s cart. If I decided to buy my kids a pack of cookies or ice cream or even a steak dinner to reward them or just give them something special, by heck I’d do it. And I’d DARE anyone in line behind me to open their mouths as to what type of food I was buying.

Why? Because MY husband works hard to make a living for us. It burdens him when there isn’t enough work for all the guys at his company and some are laid off. But they (ALL OF THEM) pay money in each and every month so that in the event they are laid off or something unthinkable happens, that money and that assistance is there for them if/when they need it. And NO ONE has a right to stand in a grocery store line and judge the person in front of them for what they are buying at the grocery store or how they are paying for it. Because they don’t know their story. And it’s not their place to dictate even if they did.

Now, I’m going to jump off my soap box here and get back to the point of child hunger. That is what this post is about and I want to show you how YOU can help make sure the children around you have enough to eat, even if their families aren’t sure how to ask for it.

SIDE-NOTE: Here’s a quick and easy, healthy recipe that feeds a large family: Meatloaf With Rotel – this was my mama’s famous meatloaf recipe that everyone loved. She is no longer with us but I wanted to share it with you.

Child Hunger Ends Here

If you are looking for ways that you can give back to YOUR community, locally:

1.) Collect for the Local Feeding America Food Bank

Set up collection box (in school, church, home) and encourage local friends/residents to dona
te participating nonperishable CHEH items that you’ll take to the local Feeding America food bank
Prior to making donations, you can either enter the codes online yourself or ask donors to do so
Each food item will therefore do double duty:
- Go to a Feeding America food bank to feed a local family in need
- Provide a CHEH code that can be submitted online for a donation to feed a family in need anywhere in the U.S.

2.) Enter ConAgra Product Codes

See the Child Hunger ends Here widget down below? Here’s how it works. Simply grab the code found on one of these 19 participating packages of ConAgra Foods products and enter one code in the widget to donate one meal. UPDATE 2024: they seemed to have removed their widget so I guess this campaign has ended. 😕

Enter YOUR ZIP codes for local food bank contributions when you enter ConAgra product codes below!!!

Child Hunger Ends Here important links:

childhungerendshere.com

facebook.com/ChildHungerEndsHere

@ChildHungerEnds #childhunger

Feeding America’s Food Bank Locator – https://feedingamerica.org/foodbank-results.aspx

Map the Meal Gap (local food insecurity data) – https://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-studies/map-the-meal-gap.aspx

Crystal M.

I am a stay-at-home- mom, living in KY with my husband and children. I’m a travel and lifestyle blogger encouraging folks to live their life one adventure at a time while also focusing on beauty, essential oils and health. From time to time I also like to showcase my adorable pets along with my family. Along with Cinnamon Hollow I can be found at The Martin Family Adventure … read more