FACT: 66 million primary school-age children attend classes hungry across the developing world. FACT: 60% of the world's hungry are women.
FACT: 1 out of 6 infants are born with a low birthweight in developing countries.
FACT: 1 in 5 schoolchildren in the US don't get the food they need.
FACT: 48.8 million Americans—including 16.2 million children— live in households that lack the means to get enough nutritious food on a regular basis.
FACT: 1 out of 6 infants are born with a low birthweight in developing countries.
FACT: 1 in 5 schoolchildren in the US don't get the food they need.
FACT: 48.8 million Americans—including 16.2 million children— live in households that lack the means to get enough nutritious food on a regular basis.
According to the American Psychological Association, a study that classified low-income children ages 6-12 as “hungry," “at-risk for hunger,” or “not hungry” found that hungry children exhibited 7 to 12 times as many symptoms of conduct disorder (such as fighting, blaming others for problems, having trouble with a teacher, not listening to rules, stealing, etc.) than their at-risk or not-hungry peers and were significantly more likely to receive special education services, to have repeated a grade in school, and to have received mental health counseling than at-risk-for-hunger or not-hungry children.
Malnutrition is the underlying cause of nearly half of all under-5 child deaths, and the lack of access to nutritious food from the start of the pregnancy until the second birthday can lead to irreversible cognitive and physical damage. Lack of access to nutritious food from the start of pregnancy through the first three years of a child's life can lead to lasting deficits in cognitive, social and emotional development. This means that a child who has experienced chronic malnutrition since birth faces a lengthy list of challenges that limit his or her chances of excelling.
Tackling hunger is not just about ensuring people have something to eat, it’s about making sure everyone has access to a balanced diet of nutritious foods, a diet that enables people to work hard and learn fast.
In June, the leaders of the world’s 7 biggest industrialized powers committed to lifting 500 million people out of hunger by 2030.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
In the U.S
Feeding America is a a great charity to get involved with. Twelve million children are estimated to be served by Feeding America, over 3.5 million of which are ages 5 and under. You can help feed hungry children in the US by starting your own fundraiser through the Feeding America website. No Kid Hungry is a great one too. Visit NoKidHungry for a list of volunteer opportunities in your area!
Globally
World Vision is one of my favorite non profits. They tackle many global issues but they help fight hunger specifically by increasing agricultural productivity through farming, improving access to markets so farming families can profitably sell their food, teaching families and communities how to improve their diets and nutrition intake, managing resources in a sustainable way to prevent soil erosion, maintain soil fertility, use water more efficiently, and protect the environment. DONATE HERE
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Awareness
