Feeding America® Turns
OrangeTM to Solve Hunger for 49 Million Americans
Grand
Rapids, MN (September 1, 2014) - Hunger advocates from Grand Rapids and across
the country will be wearing orange on Thursday, September 4 in an effort to raise
awareness of the 49 million people in the United States who struggle with
hunger. It is just one of the many awareness events taking place throughout the
month of September in recognition of Feeding America's Hunger Action Month - a
month-long campaign to help end hunger in our country.
Starting
Monday, September 1, Second Harvest North Central Food Bank along with other
food banks in the Feeding America network will kick off Hunger Action Month by
holding events throughout the country to inspire people to take action to help
the millions of people who are food insecure in the United States.
Events include everything from asking businesses across the country to light their buildings orange (the symbolic color of hunger) to food packing events at food banks across the country. Thousands of volunteers are expected to participate in food bank activities throughout the United States.
“We
are continuing to see high levels of need even as our economy is recovering.
Low-wage workers are the hardest hit and the last to recover,” says Sue Estee,
Executive Director of Second Harvest.
“Every day we work to solve hunger. September is the time of year when
we strive to get the message out and engage people in our mission of ending
hunger.”
According
to the USDA, 49 million Americans are food insecure which means they may not
know where their next meal is coming from. This includes 16 million children
and nearly five million seniors.
Here
in north central Minnesota, about 12 percent of the population struggles with
hunger, including 8,990 children.
“There
is more than enough food to feed every man, woman and child in this country,
yet one in six Americans are facing hunger,” said Bob Aiken, CEO of Feeding
America. “By raising awareness and working together, we can solve hunger."
Some
of the events taking place include:
· Hunger
Action Day - Wear orange to support hunger awareness (Thursday, September 4)· Light up Orange for Hunger - Buildings around the country will be turning their lights orange throughout the month to show their support. The tree at Old Central School in Grand Rapids will light up orange thanks to Minnesota Power, Lake Country Power, and the City of Grand Rapids. (Buildings that lit up orange in 2013 included: the Empire State Building in New York City, the Nashville Courthouse in Nashville, Miami Tower in Miami, and the Jewelers Building in Chicago.)
· Public Service Hunger Action Day, September 9
· Hunger Action 5K, September 20
· Kids Pack Volunteer Day, September 22
###
About Second Harvest North Central Food
Bank
Second Harvest North Central Food Bank serves
130 hunger relief agencies in Koochiching, Itasca, Cass, Aitkin, Crow Wing,
Mille Lacs and Kanabec counties. Over 4.5 million pounds of food and grocery
products were distributed through those agencies in 2013. For more information
regarding Second Harvest North Central Food Bank, visit www.secondharvestncfb.com
or call 218.326.4420.
About
Feeding America
Feeding America is a nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the
fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more
than 37 million people through 61,000 food pantries, community kitchens, and
emergency shelters across America. Feeding America also supports programs that
improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the
problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from
going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role
in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve
hunger. Visit http://www.feedingamerica.org/. Find us on
Facebook at www.facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow us on
Twitter at www.twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.
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