Fighting Childhood Hunger Through Public Service
Posted by Daniel Feldman on Thursday, March 10, 2011
Editor’s Note: Over the course of the next year, we will be partnering with Youth Service America and the Sodexo Foundation on engaging youth in the fight against hunger. One early opportunity we want to share are scholarships for youth who are interested in the issue of child hunger. Daniel, a previous scholarship winner, shares about his experience and how to apply for the scholarships. — Clay
I have been active in the fight to end childhood hunger in America from a very young age. I was inspired to become part of the solution after being educated to the fact that more than seventeen million children in America face food insecurity every single day. As a branch-off project of my youth volunteer group, I founded the project Kids Feeding Kids: a fundraising and hunger education program whose one and only goal has been to help end child hunger in America. Starting with only an idea, I combined my interest in baking with my desire to make a difference by baking and selling baked goods to raise funds earmarked to end childhood hunger through Share Our Strength’s Great American Bake Sale.
In addition to organizing bake sales, I organized food collection drives and signature fundraising events as well as creative entrepreneurial efforts throughout the year. My motivation was rooted in my strong belief that no child should ever be deprived of the nutrition they need to grow and thrive in our society. The money raised from my projects have funded more than 45,000 nutritious meals to feed insecure youth as well as thousands of pounds of food for my local food bank. What has made my project so successful is the fact that every single cent of the money and product that comes into my project goes directly back to the children in need.
I am sharing this story with you because I believe that childhood hunger in America is a social travesty that has the ability to be fixed; in a matter of years, with the help of determined, forward-thinking, and caring people. Sodexo is one of those forward-thinking companies that have made the commitment to become part of the solution. They have partnered with Youth Service America to offer $500 grants to youth who have seen the impact that hunger can and does have on their peers and who want to become part of the solution in creating a hunger free America. This grant of $500 is monumental in all aspects. On the most basic level a child is afforded three healthy meals per day for just $4.13. A grant of $500 can put in full gear a childhood hunger prevention project that can grow beyond your imagination and help endless food insecure children in your community to grow healthy so that they can achieve their potential. I look forward to you joining in the effort to make America and it’s children hunger free!
If you know a kid interested in the fight against hunger, please encourage them to apply for a grant to make a difference in their community. Applications are accepted through March 14.
March 10, 2011 | 0 comment(s) | Tags: childhood hunger, Sodexo, volunteering, youth
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