September is Hunger Action Month, a monthlong recognition of the struggles some people face with food insecurity. Many people in our own community are in need of food assistance because of the coronavirus pandemic and there are ways we can make an extra effort to fight hunger.
NBC 7 spent some time with Feeding San Diego at its new warehouse and learned just how much more of a demand there is for food assistance now due to the unemployment rate caused by the pandemic.
Things have changed quite a bit in the last six months or so. Before the coronavirus impacted the region, one in eight people in San Diego County faced hunger, including one in six children.
Now, due to school being virtual, businesses closing, job losses, rising food costs, there is a dramatic increase in the need for food assistance.
Feeding San Diego reported at least a 50% increase in need. That figure included individuals and families who used Feeding San Diego’s food assistance services for the first time.
The local non-profit organization has more than 300 distribution sites all over San Diego County to help serve those who require extra support during these trying times.
Raising awareness of people in need of food assistance by talking about Hunger Action Month can be easy, and it involves the use of social media.
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Anyone interested in getting the word out can Go Orange for Hunger Action Month on social media by wearing orange, which is the color of the movement. Posting pictures of yourself in orange and tagging @feedingsandiego, along with the hashtags #HungerActionMonth, #EveryActionCounts and #HungerFreeSD, can help the cause reach more people.
Creating a fundraiser and inspiring friends and family to help end hunger can help as well.
Kids can also participate in Hunger Action Month by taking part in the movement's Art Challenge, which was brought to the public in partnership with Pop Culture Hero Coalition. Children ages 6 to 18 are invited to submit a picture of their vision of a “Hunger-Free and Healthy San Diego”.
More information on the Art Challenge and how to help those in need can be found here.
