What comes to your mind when you hear the word 'hunger?' Do you think about third world countries? Yourself on a regular basis? The Hunger Games? To be completely honest, I think of these exact same things. But hunger is not just in third world countries, or one of our own, individual problems. Sometimes, it's in our own backyard, and we have no idea. Here we are, trying to fix the whole world's problems, when we have our own problems to face.
Many people don't eat lunch at school. 1/5 children in schools do not have lunch everyday. I have even seen it in my own school, where a student has no money to pay for lunch, and they must sit and watch everyone else eat. Even more so with the new policy my school has implemented, which has now changed the previous I.O.U. balance of $5, to $0.00. Not one cent may be owed. No money, no lunch. Sorry.
With some people, there's usually an extensive surplus of food. We're over here saying, 'Oh hey, I'm kinda hungry, I guess I'll just get more food than I need to fill me up and then throw the rest away.' But that's not right. Some kids don't have the money or resources to have half the amount of food we do.
Some children are even victims to negligence and 'refrigerator moms,' moms who are unable to emotionally attach themselves with their children. They don't get the love and care they deserve.
Do you remember watching the movie 'The Blind Side?' Michael had just started school. It was one of his first days, and he didn't have a lunch. He just sat alone at his table, watching the other kids eat, while he himself had nothing. Granted he was much more underprivileged than most kids, the problem is the same.
No Kid Hungry attacks that problem. They're here to raise awareness about one of these pressing matters that can be ignored no more. It may seem like a problem you might just ignore, but I beg of you, don't. You might think, 'There are bigger problems in third world countries, we need to help them first,' but I ask you: if we are unable to correct our own domestic problems, how can we expect to correct foreign problems?
Visit nokidhungry.org for more information on how you can help the cause and end hunger in America. <3
