What would you do if you saw a hungry child? Buy the child a meal, seek out the parents and offer your help, look for an organization to direct the family to? So, here’s my point – you’d do something, wouldn’t you because how could you not? Therefore the question becomes do you have to see the child or is just knowing that hungry children exist enough for you to take action?
I ask because this question hit me like a ton of bricks when I asked myself. I know there are hungry children, but am I doing enough to help? Not only are there hungry children, and adults, but there are hungry kids in your community wherever you live. Take Indianapolis as an example.
Do the Math
“The average cost of a weeks’ worth of food for a family of four is more than $200.” — Loaves and Fishes. A member of the working poor making minimum wage grosses $290 per week at 40 hours. After taxes that’s about $230 net. Even with two working adults, that’s only $460 take-home per week. After buying food $250-260 remains.
The average two-bedroom apartment in Indianapolis rents for $932–Rent Jungle, which averages $215 per week. We’re down to $35-45 remaining per week. What about clothing, school lunches, health care, day care, personal hygiene products, utilities, laundry, transportation …
Should we be surprised that one in five families, with children, surveyed in Indianapolis, struggle to afford enough food to feed their young?” — Help Us Stamp Out Hunger
How Many Hungry Children Do You Need to Take Action?
“Green Answers answered the question, “How many people go hungry every day in America?” “According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, about 500,000 households suffer from hunger each day. They are classified as ‘food insecure.’ “According to The Guardian over a million American children go hungry every day.” Feeding Indiana’s Hungry (FIsH) brings it home with this statement, “Every night 190,000 children in Indiana go to bed – hungry.”
Closer to Home
Earlier I said there are hungry children in every community. If you think I’m exaggerating google your county, city, or township with the words hungry children. Unfortunately, this includes the county where TKO Graphics is headquartered. Last year we sponsored a food drive for the Hendricks County Food Cooperative, because there are hungry kids here – in our neighborhood.
Who is the Hendricks County Food Cooperative?
“The Hendricks County Food Pantry Coalition was established in 2006 to enhance the collaborative efforts of Hendricks County food pantries to help meet basic nutritional needs of residents and to provide training and education to the affiliated pantries by working through its members and other support agencies.
The Hendricks County Food Pantry Coalition supports the collaborative efforts of Hendricks County, Indiana food pantries serving the hungry.” – Hendricks County Food Pantry Coalition
You Can Help
If you’re in Hendricks County, please help us feed hungry kids, Drop off canned goods and other non-perishables at our facility at 2751 Stafford Rod, Plainfield, IN 46168.
If you’re not a neighbor use this to find a neighbor in need, Foodbank Locator. Because if you saw a hungry child what would you do?
Photo by orangeacid on Foter.com / CC BY-NC
