Fight Hunger

Being hungry isn’t something I really think about.  Not really.  Sure, I complain many times a week that I am starvvvving, but I’m not.  I’m just wanting something I likely shouldn’t be having.

And where I live?  I’m not faced with seeing hunger.  I live in a tight community.  Perhaps I am turning a blind eye to what’s really happening around me, as I have heard there are hungry families in my area.

Hungry.

Not knowing when I am going to eat next.  When my child is going to eat next.  The thought of sending my son to bed when he is truly hungry breaks my heart.  Fortunately, I am able to provide, but if I couldn’t, I have a strong support system with my family, and I know they would help us out.

I guess not everyone has this.  I am one of the lucky ones.  I hope you are, too.  But not everyone is quite so lucky.

Therefore, there are people out there tonight, sending their babies to bed on half empty stomachs.  There are good people counting pennies, wondering where their next meal will come from, or if there will be one.  There are rumbling bellies and tears.  There are kids who don’t understand why their friends have too much to eat, and they go without.

It breaks my heart.

Thankfully, there are also people out there doing good.  Food Banks.  Companies donating product that goes to the hungry.  Companies like Wal-Mart, who are collecting money to go to a greater good.

From today through May 3rd, Wal-Mart is working with some wonderful brands in an effort to provide meals to the hungry.  This initiative, the #FightHunger campaign, teams Wal-Mart with brands such as Unilever, Kraft, Kellogg’s, General Mills, Campbell’s, and ConAgra.  It’s a simple campaign that ALL of us can get in on, without really changing a single thing we do.

We just need to shop.

If you #Shop2Give at Wal-Mart, specially marked products from these companies that you purchase, such as Pop Tarts or Mini-Wheats, provide MEALS for hungry families.  For each product you buy, ONE meal is provided by the participating company.  And what’s more?  Just by sharing the hashtags on your social media channels provides a meal as well.  One Meal per Share.

Kind of makes Twitter a little less self-serving, doesn’t it?

Of course, you can also donate…$1 provides TEN meals.  Think of what you can achieve with a simple $5 donation.  Get your kids involved as well.  Maybe your son, like mine, will want to give up his Wednesday Ice Cream Money in order to know he fed 10 hungry people.  Maybe your teen will give up 2 iTunes songs to feed 20 needy children.

We are all in this together.  Together, #WeSparkChange.

Please share this post and your efforts on your social channels, using the hashtags #Shop2Give & #WeSparkChange.  Together we can send a child to bed fed.  That’s no small feat.

More About Feeding America

• SUPPLIER PARTNERS: Unilever, General Mills, ConAgra, Campbell’s, Kellogg’s, Kraft.
• DISCLAIMER: Wal-Mart is not responsible for donating the meals, the supplier partners listed above are responsible for that.
• FOOTNOTE: *The monetary equivalent of meals will be donated. $0.10 is equivalent to one meal secured by Feeding AmericaⓇ on behalf of local member food banks. See Wal-Mart.com/FightHunger for details.
• Visit Walmart.com/FightHunger to watch the real time giving tracker. Let’s help reach 75 million meals!

*Feeding America National Office Approved Meal Cost Calculation
(Effective July 1, 2014 — June 30, 2015)
$1 helps provide 10 meals
1 meal is equivalent to $0.10
Secured by Feeding AmericaⓇ on behalf of local member food banks