Today I have a friend guest blogging about her reaction to the Dr. OZ show about Hunger In America. I did not catch the show when it aired but watched it online here.
Chatting with Tara made me realize we need to help! The show shared that “1 in 5 children are suffering in the crisis and that more than 50 million Americans go to sleep hungry each night.” Can you imagine? The thought makes my heart hurt!
Take the pledge to help end childhood hunger in America and read Tara’s reaction to the Dr. OZ show below.
I would like to consider myself a well educated individual. But well educated does not always mean informed. My family just got done donating to Thanksgiving food drives, grabbing that filled bag to donate at the grocery store and even making sure a struggling co worker had food on their table but as I sit here now that is not nearly enough. Yesterday as my well nourished toddler was having his daily snack and running around I sat down for a break to catch a little Dr Oz. I had no idea that the show I just tuned into would actually be one of the most informative shows I have watched in a while. The show was “The Face of Hunger in America“. Of course I knew I would shed some tears and worry about all those people on the show and I even thought back to episodes of 20/20 or Dateline talking about there are starving people right here in America. But this time it was different the focus here was children. Children who are going to bed hungry and waking up even hungrier. Parents who are skipping meals one at a time or for days when needed to make sure their kids eat just a little more. Milk, a necessity, was a luxury to these people. And for me what really hit home with me was this was now an epidemic not only in my own Country but in my city! Orlando was #2 in the nations hungriest children! WHAT?!?! Right down the road could be a family who looks “fine” on the outside but behind closed doors is struggling to make ends meet. How is it possible that I live in a city that has not brought light to this. Surely we all have an extra $1 or even food donations for those in need. I mean how did I not know that as I scraped my sons left over vegetables into the garbage disposal last night that there were kids all around me who would have jumped at the chance to have a full plate of veggies.
I can honestly sit here and say that life is not always peaches for me nor has it always been easy. I was raised in a single parent family where assistance was needed to make it through the rough times. To this day I can remember the package of free muffins they gave at the food pantry or that heavy box with a turkey for Thanksgiving that my school counselor made sure we had. I can not to this day think of a time where my Mom did not eat to make sure we had enough but that does not mean it did not happen. Because lets be real as a Mom now I know that my son would never know if I went without for him to have something, especially food. There were times just after high school that I am reminded of from family that I called crying not knowing how I was going to eat the next day that I apparently have blocked from memory. But those days are behind me and I made it through the tunnel to the other side. While I know many of the families in need will make it through I don’t think they should have to just make it through. I think that they should be able to eat be alert in school and have a snack after 8 hours in the class room. I don’t think any child should get up from the table still being hungry. And I don’t think any child in this city should suffer any longer.
While life continues to throw me curve balls and we make decisions about our current housing and lifestyle as well as look ahead and plan for hardships or challenges I can’t help but think I can do a little more. That we all can. It is not ok with me that my community is suffering and that minimal is being done. It is not ok that parents have to choose if they should eat or not to provide for their children. It is not ok that I threw away a container of left overs the other day when there are children who could have eaten that for dinner for 3 nights. Little things can make a difference and I intend to not only do little things but big ones as well.
To find a food bank in your area, click here.
To learn more about Hunger In Children from the Dr. OZ show, click here.
If you are a blogger, pledge to do social good! I encourage you to use your network and make a difference! Raise community awareness, coordinate or participate in local food drives, help struggling families…do whatever it takes to make sure children are not going to bed hungry!