SECOND HARVEST AND FEEDING AMERICA
NETWORK RAISE AWARENESS OF THE ISSUE OF HUNGER THROUGHOUT HUNGER ACTION MONTH
Grand Rapids, MN (August 27, 2015)
– Second Harvest North Central Food Bank, a member of the Feeding
America® nationwide
network of food banks, will observe Hunger Action MonthTM – a
nationwide initiative designed to mobilize the public to take action on the
issue of hunger and join the movement to help end hunger. Hunger advocates from
north central Minnesota and across the country are working together this
September to shine a light on the issue of hunger in America – including one of
five children in Itasca County.
“There are over 5,100 food insure people, including almost 2,000
children in Itasca County struggling with hunger, and Second Harvest is eager
to rally around Hunger Action Month as we continue our fight to solve this
issue,” said Sue Estee , ED of Second Harvest. “Hunger is an issue that affects
everyone – our child’s classmate, an office coworker or neighbor down the
street. September is an opportunity for all hunger-relief advocates to take
simple steps towards supporting those in need.”
Starting Tuesday, September 1, the trees at Old Central School in Grand
Rapids will light up orange thanks to Minnesota Power, Lake Country Power, and
the City of Grand Rapids. Second Harvest will commemorate Hunger Action Day®,
which will be held Thursday, September 3.
Hunger Action Day is an opportunity for the country to learn more about
how hunger affects their community. Second Harvest will hold its annual Donor
Brunch and a Kids Pack Volunteer Day will take place on Monday, September 28th.
Every month, Second Harvest provides food for approximately 17,000
people in the seven county region served by the food bank. Over 2,200 commodity
food boxes are distributed to low income seniors, over 2,000 school children
receive Kids Packs of food to take home for the weekend and about 1,000
families are served at the Second Harvest Food Shelf. In our area, 12% of the population is food
insecure and one in five children are at risk of hunger.
“Domestic hunger affects every community in our nation, preventing
millions of families, seniors and children from thriving,” said Matt Knott,
president of Feeding America. “This September we all are given a chance to come
together and make a difference for those facing hunger."
Second Harvest is one of 200 member Feeding America food banks, which
serves every county in the United States and provides over 3 billion meals each
year to Americans in need.
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About Second Harvest
Second Harvest North Central Food Bank serves 115 hunger relief
agencies in Koochiching, Itasca, Cass, Aitkin, Crow Wing, Mille Lacs and
Kanabec counties. In 2014, 4.8 million pounds of food and grocery products were
distributed through those agencies. 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 the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight
against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 46
million people through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in communities
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 www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or
follow us on Twitter.
