Nearly a year and a half ago I had an amazing experience. It opened my eyes. It affected me. It altered how I looked at things. It changed me.
Over the span of several weeks, I had the opportunity to partner with ConAgra Foods on their Child Hunger Ends Here campaign to benefit Feeding America. Along the way, I learned firsthand the realities of childhood hunger. In my own neighborhood. At my kids' own school.
As a part of that effort, I had a chance to visit the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. Not only was I struck by the incredible work they do every day, but more than anything I was struck by the size. The sheer size of the facility.
By the enormity of the problem.
Did you know that since 2006 Feeding America has seen a 50 percent increase in the number of children relying on Food Bank services? And that every day in America, one out of four children doesn't know where their next meal will come from?
I went, I worked, I came back to Minnesota where, joined by the Minnesota blogger community, we collected food, we raised funds and we tried to make a difference. Because when it comes to the issue of hunger in America, the reality is that anything we can do really does make a difference.
Let me be honest. And then, I, like so many of us do, found myself going back to life. I donated when I could. I talked about the issue to those I knew. I advocated at our school.
But somehow, somewhere deep I knew I wasn't doing enough. No one of us ever can.
And then ConAgra reached out again. They let me know their efforts are continuing. And with all of the amazing things they have done over the years, all of the impact they have had, the statistics are still staggering. There are still 17 million children here in America who struggle with hunger.
I am truly honored that ConAgra and Feeding America have reached out to me again. Honored to not only be able to help spread the good work they are doing, but honored to again wake up my own call to action.
Today I am headed to Los Angeles. Back to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. I wish I could say that it will be smaller when I get there. That their operations have shrunk in size. That they no longer need forklifts to move all of the food.
But I know that will not be the truth.
Over the coming weeks, I will be sharing more information about how each of us can do things -- big and small -- in our own homes and in our own communities to help make a difference. Things as simple as clipping labels and entering UPC codes or as asking your own local school to join in the Schools Fight Hunger initiative to help donate 5 million meals this year.
I hope you will join us.
*ConAgra Foods is covering the cost of my trip and providing compensation to cover additional costs I incur throughout my participation in this program. As those of you who follow along here know, I only partner with causes that I truly believe in and am passionate about. This is one.
