What’s For Dinner?
Define hunger. Forgetting your lunch, not having time to eat, dinner plans being pushed back an hour. Is that what you think of when someone says hunger? What about the individuals who fear how they will get their next meal? What about the people who are not getting the necessary calories to be healthy?
48.8 million, or 1 in 6, Americans will struggle to find nutritious food to put on their tables for their next meal. Hunger is an issue that is affecting more and more people each day and it is not because there is a scarcity of food, but rather because of the increase in poverty. Poverty and hunger have a link. If you are below the poverty line even the government sees that you do not have enough money to live a healthy life. If you only have a small amount of income, you have to make the difficult decision of where to put your money. Thus if you fall into the “impoverished” category, you most likely do not have enough money to buy healthy and nutritious foods, connecting poverty and hunger. So what can you do to help? Have an extra can of peas in your pantry? Donate it to your local food pantry! Looking to impact your community firsthand? Search for local food pantries or food kitchens, they are always looking for help to keep their communities fed, because remember, “When you are hungry, you can’t think about anything else.” –Juana Mendez