President Obama has pledged to end child hunger in America by 2015.  Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack reaffirmed that goal and stated that the Obama Administration intends to ask for $1 billion in additional annual spending for child nutrition programs next year when the programs are reauthorized.  Secretary Vilsack said, “[We’re] making a historic investment in improving our child nutrition programs and we look forward to our continued work with Congress to continue strengthening USDA programs that impact the health and nutrition of our children.”

Adequate funding during the 2010 Child Nutrition Reauthorization process is critical to the improvement and expansion of programs like the National School Lunch Program and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).  Research shows that hungry children cannot concentrate and can often have behavior problems in school.  These programs make sure that millions of children in America have access to meals at home, school, and after school. 

Feed The Children supports a strong federal nutrition safety net and is working with the Congress to ensure that necessary investments in our children’s futures are made in the final Child Nutrition Reauthorization law.

The Thanksgiving holiday is one of America’s great traditions.  Although football games, crisp fall weather, and time spent with loved ones are associated with Thanksgiving, we all look forward most to gorging ourselves on roasted turkey, herbed stuffing, creamy mashed potatoes, and indulgent pies.

The American Farm Bureau recently calculated that the average Thanksgiving dinner this year, complete with turkey, rolls, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie, will cost $42.91 for a family of ten, or $4.29 a person.  With food prices decreasing overall, the cost represents a 4% decline from last year.

Yet even $4.29 for a healthful, home cooked meal is out of reach for many Americans.  The federal government recently reported that 49 million Americans, including 17 million children, are hungry or at risk of hunger.  That is the highest level of food insecurity ever documented in the history of the report—and represents far too many people who struggle unnecessarily.

If you are lucky enough to be enjoying a Thanksgiving feast this year, don’t forget your neighbors in need.  Give thanks for what you have and engage in another proud Thanksgiving tradition: sharing your bounty.

1.4 million people in Oklahoma don’t know where there next meal is coming from—or if they might even get one. 

That astonishing statistic was included in the report released last week by the U.S. Department of Agriculture titled “Food Security in the United States, 2008.”  It’s hard to believe that 14% of the people who live in Oklahoma, Feed The Children’s own backyard, are struggling with hunger.  Frankly, it’s hard to believe that anyone in America, our land of plenty, has to struggle with hunger at all.

That why Feed The Children exists, however: to correct the injustice of hunger in America and abroad.  Last year, Feed The Children distributed 133 million pounds of food and other essentials to children and families in all 50 states and in 34 foreign countries, supplementing more than 760,000 meals a day.  Our work everywhere is important, but on the heels of news that food insecurity in America has reached record levels, it’s important to remember that charity begins at home.

Feed The Children’s Americans Feeding Americans Emergency Caravan™ made stops in Oklahoma on November 19.  With 14 tractor-trailers loaded with food and personal care items, Feed The Children was able to help 5,600 families in need at 14 locations around the state.  This is the tenth Americans Feeding Americans Emergency Caravan™ food distribution tour; in other stops we’ve been able to help struggling Americans in places like Wilmington, Ohio, Elkhart, Indiana and Greenville, Mississippi.  Every time we make a stop, we’re making a difference in the lives of people who need help.