Good Shepherd Food Bank Asks Mainers to Take Action to End Hunger
The Food Bank Joins Feeding America® and its National Network to Promote Hunger Action MonthTM
[AUBURN, ME] – Aug. 31, 2016 – This September, Good Shepherd Food Bank and Feeding America’s nationwide network of food banks will mobilize across all 50 states in an effort to bring an end to hunger. Hunger Action Month is designed to inspire people to take action and raise awareness of the fact that 48 million Americans, including 15 million children, are food insecure, according to the USDA.
In Maine, more than 200,000 people struggle with hunger and may not know when or where they’ll find their next meal. That number includes one in four kids who may not have enough nutritious food to eat.
September marks the ninth year the Feeding America network of food banks has organized this annual call to action. This year the campaign will focus on the strong connections between hunger and health.
The Hunger Action Month 2016 campaign asks people to consider how it must feel to live with an empty stomach, which puts a healthy life and a promising future at risk.
“It’s so important that the people we serve have access to enough healthy food to reach their full potential,” said Kristen Miale, president of Good Shepherd Food Bank. “Adequate nutritious food is especially important for our children, who cannot grow or learn on an empty stomach.”
According to the Feeding America study, Hunger in America 2014, nearly half of households served by the Feeding America network include someone that is in either fair or poor health. In Maine, 67 percent of people served by Good Shepherd Food Bank report purchasing inexpensive, unhealthy food because they cannot afford healthy options.
“I’ve spent many days on the road this past year, visiting food banks,nd meal programs and meeting people who are facing hunger,” said Diana Aviv, CEO of Feeding America. “I’ve seen firsthand the anguish that food insecurity and hunger can cause. It is always heartbreaking to meet a mother or father who fears that they will not be able to feed their children. They know that their children cannot reach their full potential if they don’t have enough to eat.”
Hunger Action Day®, the second Thursday in September, is a day where efforts across the country are focused for greater impact.
This year, on September 8, Good Shepherd Food Bank asks supporters to wear orange, the color of hunger awareness, and to post on social media to join the national effort. We encourage people to share what they couldn’t do without adequate nutrition by writing on an empty plate, “On an empty stomach I can’t ______,” and filling in the blank with something they couldn’t achieve without the nutrition they need to thrive.
These photos can be posted to social media with #HungerActionMonth, @FeedingMaine, and @FeedingAmerica to join the national conversation.
In addition to raising awareness on Hunger Action Day and continuing to spread the word throughout the month of September, Good Shepherd Food Bank is encouraging people to attend NewsFEED, an event at the organization’s Hampden warehouse, on September 28.
NewsFEED will close out Hunger Action Month by bringing the community together for tastings from Maine restaurants, a cooking competition with local chefs, and a recognition of Metro Magazine’s best restaurant winners from across Maine. NewsFEED draws attention to food as a solution to end hunger, drive our local economies, and build community. You can purchase tickets to NewsFEED here.
To learn more about how you can get involved during Hunger Action Month, please visit http://www.gsfb.org/hunger-action-month.
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About Good Shepherd Food Bank
As the largest hunger relief organization in Maine, Good Shepherd Food Bank provides for Mainers facing hunger by distributing nutritious food to more than 400 partner agencies across the state, including food pantries, meal sites, schools, and senior programs. Together with its network, the Food Bank leads a statewide effort to combat the root causes of hunger by engaging in advocacy, nutrition education, and strategic partnerships. In 2015, the Food Bank distributed more than 19 million meals to families, children, and seniors in need throughout Maine. Website: feedingmaine.org; Phone: (207) 782-3554; Facebook: facebook.com/feedingmaine; Twitter: twitter.com/feedingmaine.
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.
Contact:
Clara Whitney
(207) 272-3865