Hunger in America
October 6, 2012
The USDA reports that at some point this year 50 million Americans will not know where their next meal will come from-that's one in six Americans.

While the USDA does not deem this increase from last year's 49 million food-insecure Americans as statistically significant, any increase is worth taking note of. We live in a country full of resources and wealth, so how is it that there are a growing number of Americans who are without food?

There are a few things that can be attributed to the increase in the number of food-insecure Americans. With the poor state of the economy these past few years many people are finding it difficult to make ends meet. As a result many cannot afford the necessary food to feed themselves and their family and are looking to their local food banks to fill that need.

Another issue we see happening across the U.S and all over the world is the extreme weather effecting not only food prices, but food supplies. As things like the drought hit, consumers can see the cost of beef and chicken is rising and, according to the USDA, the cost will continue to rise. Much like the heavy rains in Columbia affected the price of coffee; we can expect cost increases to continue at the supermarket as extreme weather conditions arise. This also creates a problem for families in that the food they would regularly be buying to provide protein at the dinner table, will now impact their budget. For some people who are already on a tight budget this increase makes the difference between being able to stock their pantries or not.

As we head into the fall there are a few things that people can do to combat the rising cost of food and get the support they need. One way is to communicate with your local food bank. By knowing where they are and what they provide you can ensure that you have the necessary resources to provide nutritional, healthy meals for your family.

Another way to combat this issue is by supporting local and national organizations that are giving meal donations to local food banks and giving grants that will provide additional food support for your community.

Currently Walmart-along with five of the most recognizable food companies in America - ConAgra Foods, General Mills, Kellogg Company, Kraft Foods and Unilever - have joined together this fall to give up to 53 million meals to local Feeding America food banks. From September 17 through October 12, individuals can help fight hunger by either purchasing select products from participating food suppliers at Walmart stores and following instructions on the packaging, engaging in the "Give Meals" section of www.walmart.com/hunger, or simply using a mobile app to generate meal donations for Feeding America. By purchasing food you would already be buying for your family at your local Walmart you can create meals for the food insecure in your community.

If you are one of the millions of Americans that is finding it difficult to make ends meet this fall you can also get involved in Walmart's "Golden Spark" promotion that will randomly award 40 "Golden Sparks" valued at $50,000 each to individuals who participate from September 17 through October 14, Participants can enter for a chance to win a "Golden Spark" for their community by going to www.walmart.com/hunger or through the Live Better tab on Walmart's Facebook page. Walmart Associates can also compete together for their store to win "Golden Sparks" totaling $500,000 for their communities by logging the most hunger relief volunteer hours during the life of the campaign. There is no purchase necessary for the Golden Spark promotion, but winning could mean more meals for children in your community.

Posted by Ken at 12:00 AM