We all know that times are tough right now.  Maybe times are tough for you personally.

We’re hearing from many of our long-term donors lately who have lost their jobs in this difficult economy.  They’ve been generous supporters of Feed The Children in the past, and now find themselves in a position of need. 

But their spirits aren’t broken.  And many of them, despite their own hardships, still want to help Feed The Children reach more hungry and hurting children.

“I don’t have much money right now,” they say, “but what can I do to help?”

Lots of things, really.  We appreciate all the ways our donors support us, whether it be through cash donations or by raising awareness for the cause.  Here are just a few ways you can help support our mission, even in hard times:

1)     Raise Awareness Through Social Media
Join us on Facebook, MySpace or Twitter and let your friends know why you believe in Feed The Children.

2)     Watch and Share a Video About Our Work

Visit our YouTube page, watch brief videos about our work and then forward your favorite video to your friends. 

3)     Good Old Fashioned Word-of-Mouth

You don’t have to be tech-savvy to help.  Just tell your friends about the work we do, and why you support it.

4)     Start a Fundraising Project

You many not personally have much money to donate right now, but if you can think of a creative fundraising idea, you can start a fundraising project in your community to benefit Feed The Children. 

Your support, whether monetary or a gift of your time, energy or influence, is invaluable to us. 

Poverty creates more poverty. 

That is to say, once you fall behind on one bill, it becomes harder and harder to pay your other bills. 

You rob Peter to pay Paul.  But with each late or defaulted payment comes with its own consequence:  a late fee, increased interest rates, foreclosure or repossession.  And these consequences can make it even harder to dig out of poverty. 

Ashlee experienced the consequences of falling behind firsthand. First, she got sick and lost her job. Then she had to break her lease to avoid being evicted. Then she could no longer afford gas or car insurance. 

Being unable to drive to interviews makes the job hunt even harder for Ashlee.  But she is determined to press on and has faith that things will get better. 

“Everything will work out,” she says, “with every sacrifice comes a better gift.”  

 
But Ashlee will need a little help to get back on her feet again.  Feed The Children helps people like Ashlee every day with food and essentials—giving them the break they need to stop the downward spiral of accumulating debt.

You may not see children living under bridges or overpasses, but child homelessness is a very real problem in America.

A recent article by CNN exposes the severity of the situation: According to the National Center on Family Homelessness, 1.5 million children in America face homelessness each year.  That’s 1 in every 50 American children.

Homelessness is defined as lacking a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence.  For a homeless child, this may mean living in a car, a shelter, a motel or constantly “couch-surfing” between the homes of friends and family. Not having safe, dependable and permanent housing is traumatic for a child and can seriously disrupt a child’s ability to learn and attend school.

Last year, Feed The Children distributed 100,000 backpacks filled with school supplies, books, ready-to-eat food, and personal hygiene items to homeless children in America.  These supplies meet immediate needs and help remove the stigma of homelessness by guaranteeing that homeless students have the same resources as their peers. 

The school year is coming to a close, but homelessness continues for far too many American children.  To learn more about Feed The Children’s efforts to help homeless children in America, click here.