Child Hunger Ends Here

I'm so excited to announcement my partnership with a company that literally lives in my backyard - ConAgra!  They are  behind an amazing effort to end the growing issues of kids that don't get enough to eat via their Child Hunger Ends Here campaign, and I've been asked to be an official Blogger Correspondent!

Since ConAgra's home office is in Omaha (just a 45 minute drive from where I live) and on a street I drive by often, I was thrilled to be a part.  I have five kids of my own, grew up in a home where food was truly something special, and my heart breaks when I think about anyone going hungry in this great country.  As a kick-off to the campaign (which I'll be participating in through the end of May), I'd love to share some facts:

In  In 2009, 17.2 million children under the age of 18 are living in food insecure households compared to 16.7 million in 2008.   That means that nearly one in four children in the United States (23.2%) live in food insecure households.

During the 2009 federal fiscal year, 19.5 million low-income children received free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program. Unfortunately, just 2.2 million of these same income-eligible children participated in the Summer Food Service Program that same year.

In fiscal year 2009, 48 percent of all SNAP (formerly known as the "food stamp" program) participants were children.

 The breakdown of race/ethnicity for food insecure households with children is as follows:

o   White, non Hispanic        15.7%

o   Black, non Hispanic         32.6%

o   Hispanic                          32.7%

o   Other                               16.8%

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2020% or more of the child population in 30 states (and District of Columbia) are living in food insecure households.

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How does this affect you?  Most of you are Moms -- or Dads, and many of you may also be struggling to put food on the table.  While the problem seems large, the steps to resolve it are actually quite small (and totally doable.)  Here is what you can do to help:

Each week, we'll be highlighting a way that YOU can help join in the fight to end hunger.  Some of the steps may require money or food, but others will just require your time.  People of all incomes and backgrounds are encouraged to come together in this great campaign.

This week's assignment is - Go Grocery Shopping! 

From March through May 2011, ConAgra Foods will embark on its largest branded initiative to fight child hunger in the United States. Consumers can purchase select ConAgra Foods brands and, when they enter their code online, the company will donate one meal to Feeding America – up to 2.5 million meals this during the time period.^* Visit www.childhungerendshere.com and enter the eight-digit purchase code found on specially marked packages. Participating brands include: Banquet, Chef Boyardee, Healthy Choice, Fresh Mixers, Kid Cuisine, Marie Callender’s and Peter Pan. Every code entered is another meal that ConAgra Foods will enable Feeding America to secure through local food banks. Codes on specially marked packages can be redeemed through August 2011.

Now, wasn't that easy?  Stay tuned each week, as we share our journey in helping to fight hunger locally and nationally, as well as new and exciting ways you can get your family involved, as well!

Visit the official ChildHungerEndsHere website, check them out on Facebook, or Follow the conversation on Twitter with #childhungerendshere  (And don't forget to attend an exciting weekend Twitter event!)


*I am a compensated blogger correspondent for ConAgra's Child Hunger Ends Here campaign.  Opinions and experiences shared here are my own.