It’s a sad but true fact that every minute 18 people die of starvation in the world! Hunger is a very prevalent issue, so often we take for granted every morsel of food we put in our body. Here are 10 ways you can give back and fight hunger in your community! Be sure to share this post with others, while we may never end the fight on hunger, we can certainly have an impact on this cause!
10 WAYS YOU CAN FIGHT HUNGER!
1. Discounts for Food! Hold a school or community event where admission or discounts are provided when food donations brought by attendees. Find a local food bank or community organization where the items can be donated to.
2. Tweet About It! When you hear the fact that every minute 18 people around the world die from starvation, it’s starling. Consider the impact we could have if more people were educated on this cause. You’re already helping inform the world about hunger.
3. Teach people about Hunger! The World Food Program has a free lesson plan for teachers to use! The organization stated they would love to see hunger issues talked about more in school. To get your free hunger lesson plan, click here.
4. Volunteer to Serve! Help serve a meal at a community dining room or homeless shelter. Looking for a shelter or community group to volunteer with? Be sure to check out the Feeding America list of services nationwide.
5. Make Sack Lunches! Looking for a way to give back with your friends or family? Gather 3-5 people; thesis great to do with your kids. Spend $20 at the grocery store, buy bread, fruit, brown paper bags, juice boxes or bottled water, chips or another snack. Make as many sandwiches as you can and prepare bag lunches. Donate them to a local mission or find people in need in your community to give the bags to. Parks are a great place to find needy families. Please note that in some cities you may need permission from local law enforcement.
6. Adopt a family in need! It’s a small world out here and chances are with six degrees of separation, there is someone close to you that may be struggling to make ends meet and provide meals for their family. Don’t just wait until the holidays to give back. Talk to your child’s guidance counselor or someone at your church and ask if there is a family in need. You can send gift cards to local grocery stores or offer to cook a meal for the family. If you personally know of a family struggling, you can “adopt” them, and even do so anonymously. To not embarrass the family, consider leaving a donation on their doorstep at night, or leave gift cards in their mailbox.
7. Put yourself in their shoes! I saw this tip on a site called She Knows and I love it! Imagine yourself working on a deadline for your boss, but doing it with no coffee, no breakfast, no lunch and no dinner the night before. Envision sending your child to school for a big test, but with no dinner the night before, no breakfast and no lunch packed. It is almost impossible to perform at our best when we are hungry. The physical reminder of our own hunger places us in their shoes, which can in turn motivate us to take action and help!
8. Play Free Rice! Go to FreeRice.com and play the popular quiz game. For every right answer, 10 grains of rice go to the hungry. It’s the advertisers who pay, not you. Warning: it’s wickedly addictive. You could also try Zynga’s Fishville game on Facebook.
9. Fight it Politically! Meet with your US Congressional Members, State Legislators, county officials or City Council Members to express concern about hunger and poverty in your state. Support and vote for political candidates at all levels of government who actively work to alleviate hunger.
10. Stock up on buy-one-get-one-free items, it costs you nothing! Even if you are living on a budget, you can still help. When your grocery store offers buy-one-get-one-free items, stock up! Grab a large box and start filling it with items you purchase on sale. Place one item in your pantry and place the other item in a box to donate. When the box is full, deliver it to a local food bank, and start on your next box. Items like oatmeal, pasta, peanut butter, pasta sauce, cereal, coffee, tea — they all go on sale, and you might be surprised how quickly and how often you can fill a donation box, even on a budget. Use your coupons and shop these sale items to take advantage of lower prices to fill your box!
