1 in 6 Americans Struggling with Hunger

As America has emerged as a new poor nation in the world, 1 in every 6 Americans is struggling with hunger.

The fight to end domestic hunger will be at the head of the table this September as hunger-relief advocates come together for Hunger Action Month, a month-long effort to bring national attention to the startling reality that 1 in 6 individuals face food insecurity in the United States.

Feeding America, a leading domestic hunger-relief organization, created Hunger Action Month eight years ago to shine a light on this issue and encourage the nation to take action.

Throughout September, Feeding America, its nationwide network of food banks, philanthropic and corporate partners, as well as hunger-relief supporters and advocates across the country will hold events, volunteer and work to elevate the conversation around solving domestic hunger.

Anti-hunger advocates will also commemorate Hunger Action Day, Thursday, September 3, an opportunity for the country to learn more about how hunger affects their community.

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“Hunger impacts 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 have a chance to make a difference in the lives of people in need by getting engaged and raising awareness of this very important cause. With the collaborative efforts of the public, private and charitable sector, we can solve this issue.”

Feeding America has outlined three simple ways that the public can engage in Hunger Action Month to make a significant impact in the lives of the 49 million Americans who may not know where they will find their next meal.

• Connect and join the thousands of volunteers expected to participate in local food bank activities throughout the United States this month. Learn more about your local Feeding America food bank and how you can get involved.
• Join Spoontember, a new social activation to engage the public and help raise awareness of the 1 in 6 Americans struggling with hunger. To get involved, supporters can share a ‘spoon selfie’ of themselves attempting to balance a spoon on their nose – a utensil that is most often used to prepare and provide food for others. Supporters can then spread awareness about domestic hunger by posting their spoon selfie to social media along with a hunger statistic and challenge their friends and family to do the same.
• Advocate for the 1 in 5 children in America who live in a household that struggles to put food on the table. Hunger Action Month 2015 falls just prior of the congressional deadline to determine terms of the reauthorization of federal child nutrition programs. Join your local food bank’s efforts to support kids in need and contact your state senator to invite them to visit a child-feeding site in their congressional district. Learn more about Child Nutrition Reauthorization 2015 and Feeding America’s priorities to help feed more kids.

Feeding America is the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States.

Photo courtesy: Feeding America