Hunger

During the holidays the plight of the hungry receives a lot of attention. It seems everyone wants to donate food or serve in a soup kitchen. But around springtime every year, food supplies dip dangerously low, and food banks are often not able to service all of the emergency needs within the community. Given that as of 2004 13.9 million children were living in homes where the availability of nutritionally adequate food is limited, the shelves of food banks need to remain full throughout the year. It is especially critical that food banks remain fully stocked after holidays, when people are at the greatest risk of spending beyond their means.

These service projects are designed to raise awareness about the need for donated food items throughout the year.

Project Ideas

1. Food collection—Have Kids Care Clubs conduct a non-perishable food drive for Second Harvest Food Bank.

2. Volunteer at the Food Bank—Working at Second Harvest Food Bank, enlist older children (11 and 12 year olds) in restocking the shelves, and younger children (5-10 year olds) in making snack packs for children in the Kids’ Café program, a weekly snack and evening-meal program specifically designed to feed children from low-income families.

3. Decorate placemats—Kids Care Clubs decorate placemats and napkins to be used at Second Harvest Food Bank or as decorative items to accompany meal deliveries for seniors.

 4. Be a letter writer—Hunger is an issue that requires legislative action before transformative impact will really be felt. Visit MANNA’s website and learn about a pressing issue relating to epidemic hunger. The website provides all the background information necessary to engage your kids in a letter-writing campaign.

Potential Partner Agencies:

Second Harvest Food Bank
Nashville’s Table
MANNA
Luke 14:12
Heifer Project
Meals on Wheels