I live in Orange County, California, an area rich in history, culture, food and the arts. Known for it’s affluence, beautiful beaches, luxury shopping, and exciting amusement parks, Orange County has become a popular tourist destination and a highly sought after place to reside.
615,000 individuals at risk of hunger every month (One in FIVE)
Over 50% of those individuals are seniors and children
240,000 people…1.4 billion pounds of food
These are the most recent hunger stats in Orange County…the same county known for it’s luxury shopping and upscale restaurants.
When I think about hunger in America, it seems far-removed. I mean, I don’t actually know anyone who is not sure where their next meal will come from.
But according to the statistics, 21% of the population in Orange County are unsure about their next meal…and one in four children rely on the government’s Free and Reduced Lunch Program as a consistent source of nutrition.
When I read statistics like this, hunger becomes very real.
Last year, I went to tour my local food bank in order to get a real sense of the need and how I can make a difference. As we approach the holiday season, I phoned Second Harvest Food Bank to find out more about why the need is so great during this time of year and how people in the community can assist.
In less than one month, our family will sit down to a generous and lovingly prepared Thanksgiving meal. Much like our family, those who are at risk of hunger also want a nice Thanksgiving dinner, but budgets become tighter as we get close to Christmas. After a back-to-school season where families may have had to purchase new clothes and school supplies, there simply isn’t the reserve available to expend on a lavish meal. This can be taxing to a food bank that already supplies food to 240,000 Orange County Residents.
It is facts like this that drive me to want to do something…to make a difference. Fortunately, there are many ways people in the community can help. Volunteering at your local food bank, donating those foods that are needed, and hosting a food drive are easy ways to help. But the most effective thing you can do is donate money. Because food banks can leverage their buying power, they are able to provide more meals by making each dollar stretch to provide 3 meals. You can donate directly online, or you can participate in a virtual food drive where you click on the foods you would like to donate, eliminating the need to shop at a store.
Two years ago, Walmart and The Walmart Foundation started Fighting Hunger and pledged $2 billion to help end hunger in America. Some of the ways Walmart has helped mitigate the problem of hunger in our country include donating 1.1 billion pounds of food from Walmart stores and Sam’s Club locations, awarding grants to support hunger relief organizations at the local, state, and national level, and collaborating with the government, food manufacturers and other organizations to understand the problem.
Walmart is a national and local partner of Orange County’s Second Harvest Food Bank through Feeding America and the food bank receives donations from all Walmart Orange County locations for their Grocery Rescue Program.
To learn more about our nationwide hunger problem or how you can help, just visit Walmart.com/LiveBetter and the Walmart Foundation.
I participate in the Walmart Moms program and am compensated for my time and honest opinions.
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