Putting the Brakes on Childhood Hunger

Little children wake up hungry, crying for something to fill their screaming bellies. This happens in places like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Liberia, but it also happens in the United States of America. That’s right, in the world’s wealthiest country; children go without food and suffer the devastating implications of not having enough to eat. In fact, over 16 million children suffer from hunger issues in this great land of ours. According to members of the Occupy Movement, letting children go hungry is clearly a form of child abuse. While much is being done at the federal, state and local level to feed hungry children, there is still work to be done.

Hungry Children Are at a Disadvantage

Children who are hungry or malnourished visit the doctor more often and generally have compromised immune systems, which leave them susceptible to illness and disease. Children who do not have enough to eat cannot focus in school and are thus found lagging behind their classmates who have full bellies. Hungry children are less likely than their non-hungry peers to be creative and may exhibit signs of depression and aggression.

Education

Some say that the key to reducing the number of hungry children lies in educating parents. Teaching parents about the importance of nutrition and counseling them on how to make the right choices for their children. Some non-profit groups focus on helping parents draft a budget and teach them the importance of budgeting the right amount of money for food. Other organizations offer meal-planning classes that show parents how to stretch their food budget without compromising the quality of their meals.

Compassion

At the heart of wanting to end childhood hunger must lay compassion. Feeding hungry children has to be done because it is the right thing to do and because it demonstrates the kind of compassion that is often missing in our busy world. There are many reasons why children go hungry, but realizing that children are helpless, innocent victims is the premise upon which all efforts to help should be based. It is important that we be able to separate the child (the who) from the circumstance (the what) that has caused the problem to exist.

Where Are The Hungry?

You don’t have to look very far to see signs of suffering children right in your neighborhood. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that hungry children are not found in “your part of town.” Hungry children are everywhere. In fact, a recent study revealed that hungry children come from all types of families, not just low income.

How to Help

One of the best ways to help is to be aware. It is easy to get so wrapped up in your own life that you almost have blinders on. A watchful eye is a helpful tool when it comes to identifying those children that need help. Once you have identified a hungry child, it is important that you know the local services and programs available to help that child. Become familiar with these programs in your area, perhaps you can even spend time volunteering. Join forces with local food banks, churches, social service organizations, parents, teachers and politicians to take care of the hungry children in your backyard. Together, we can, put the brakes on childhood hunger.

About the Author – Destiny Harris knows what it is like to be hungry. As a child, her parents struggled to put food on the table. Today, Destiny consults organizations that serve children and provides training and support for social services software programs.

Resources:

http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-facts/child-hunger-facts.aspx