Published September 13, 2011 - Daily Local News
Dear Editor,
The U.S. Department of Agriculture just released its latest numbers on the state of hunger in America. I’m saddened by the results. The new figures show that 16 million kids faced hunger in 2010. That's 1 in 5 kids nationwide.
With high unemployment and food and gas prices on the rise, millions of families – many in our own community - are struggling to make ends meet and our children are suffering the terrible consequences.
Here at the West Chester Food Cupboard we served 618 children under the age of 18 with supplementary food last month, a record number for us. The number of households coming in August was an incredible 553 (up from 300 in 2009) While we are blessed by the generous support of members of our community, we realize that food cupboards alone cannot solve the problem of hunger and food insufficiency. Our national food and nutrition programs for kids - such as the School Breakfast Program - can be the difference between empty stomachs and good health. However, these programs need to reach more of our children at risk of hunger.
We all have a stake in ensuring that our children have enough to eat to learn, grow and thrive which is why I support Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign. They are working to connect kids at risk of hunger with programs that will keep them nourished.
I encourage everyone to support the West Chester Food Cupboard or a food cupboard in your area, and take the No Kid Hungry Pledge (http://www.strength.org/) to be a part of the great work being done to end childhood hunger. No child should go hungry. No one should go hungry. There is enough food for everyone.
Sincerely,
Fiona Allison
Volunteer
West Chester Food Cupboard
545 E. Gay Street
West Chester, PA 19380
The U.S. Department of Agriculture just released its latest numbers on the state of hunger in America. I’m saddened by the results. The new figures show that 16 million kids faced hunger in 2010. That's 1 in 5 kids nationwide.
With high unemployment and food and gas prices on the rise, millions of families – many in our own community - are struggling to make ends meet and our children are suffering the terrible consequences.
Here at the West Chester Food Cupboard we served 618 children under the age of 18 with supplementary food last month, a record number for us. The number of households coming in August was an incredible 553 (up from 300 in 2009) While we are blessed by the generous support of members of our community, we realize that food cupboards alone cannot solve the problem of hunger and food insufficiency. Our national food and nutrition programs for kids - such as the School Breakfast Program - can be the difference between empty stomachs and good health. However, these programs need to reach more of our children at risk of hunger.
We all have a stake in ensuring that our children have enough to eat to learn, grow and thrive which is why I support Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign. They are working to connect kids at risk of hunger with programs that will keep them nourished.
I encourage everyone to support the West Chester Food Cupboard or a food cupboard in your area, and take the No Kid Hungry Pledge (http://www.strength.org/) to be a part of the great work being done to end childhood hunger. No child should go hungry. No one should go hungry. There is enough food for everyone.
Sincerely,
Fiona Allison
Volunteer
West Chester Food Cupboard
545 E. Gay Street
West Chester, PA 19380
