MOUNT VERNON – Nearly 49 million Americans struggle with hunger. In Ohio alone, 1 in 4 children and 1 in 6 Ohioans are food insecure. They live in every county and congressional district. Hunger is a real issue in America. Yet, it doesn’t have to be. If we work together as a community, we can end hunger one meal at a time.
Interchurch Social Services of Knox County and the Mid-Ohio Foodbank are participating in Hunger Action Month, a national campaign that runs the entire month of September. The campaign brings greater attention to hunger in Ohio and in our neighborhoods promoting ways for people everywhere to get involved in the movement to fight it.
During Hunger Action Month, Interchurch is encouraging people to Get a Fresh Perspective on hunger. Get a Fresh Perspective by taking a different look at our hungry neighbors and focusing on their resiliency. Get a Fresh Perspective by looking at ourselves and the judgements we may knowingly or unknowingly put forth. Get a Fresh Perspective by focusing attention on the shift towards fresh food.
As part of Hunger Action Month, Interchurch Social Services and Mid-Ohio Foodbank are encouraging the community to get involved in activities centered on raising awareness about hunger. For example, hunger advocates across the country will be wearing orange on Hunger Action Day – Thursday, September 8th – in an effort to bring awareness. Other ways to get involved include packing your lunch and donating the money saved to a feeding program and taking the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) Challenge during the week of September 19th – 23rd, trying to eat nutritionally off of $4.02 ($1.34 per meal) a day in SNAP benefits. The purpose of the SNAP Challenge is to provide a hands-on opportunity to explore the food access gap, giving you a deeper understanding and insight into the challenges 1.7 million Ohioans face on a daily basis.
This year’s Hunger Action Month calendar is focused around a different theme each week: Food and Learning, Food and Home, Food and Income, and Food and Health. The month-long campaign strives to engage the public at large. To learn more about Hunger Action Month and to access the calendar with more ways to get involved, please visit Mid-Ohio Foodbank’s Hunger Action Month website at www.midohiofoodbank.org/ham.