Hunger is a problem that most often affects low-income families, because living in poverty means that people are often going without basic needs such as food, clothing, and adequate shelter.
In order for a child to have a chance at a bright future, they need to eat healthy meals every day. When they’re hungry, children are more likely to be hospitalized, and they face a higher risk of health conditions because they have weakened immune systems. A brain starved of vital nutrients is one that can’t concentrate, setting hungry kids up for failure in school.
Without enough food or proper nutrition, kids face a variety of setbacks that can derail their path out of poverty.
Even if they are consuming an adequate volume of food, children may not be receiving enough of the vitamins and minerals they need to grow up healthy, and are therefore malnourished. Without enough food or proper nutrition, kids face a variety of setbacks that can derail their path out of poverty.
How does poverty affect world hunger for kids? Worldwide Child Hunger Facts
– Every year, 3.1 million children (8,500 children per day) die due to poor nutrition
– Today, there are 815 million people in the world who do not have enough to eat
– Approximately 28% of all children in developing countries are considered to be underweight, or have had their growth stunted as a result of malnutrition
– Worldwide, malnutrition contributes to almost half of the deaths of kids under the age of 5, claiming the lives of over 3 million children per year
National child hunger facts
– In America, 1 in 6 children don’t know where they will get their next meal from
– Nearly 13 million kids in the U.S. face hunger
– 5 out of 6 kids who rely on free or reduced-price school meals aren’t getting free meals in the summer
– For every 100 school lunch programs, there are only 87 breakfast sites, and just 36 summer food programs
What Children Incorporated does to alleviate hunger for children
Donations to our Feeding Programs provide meals for children around the world.
Children Incorporated provides basic necessities such as food, clothing, healthcare, and educational support to children living in poverty in the United States and abroad through our child sponsorship program. These essentials are vital to a child’s growth and success in school. We also assist feeding programs in the United States and internationally that ensure that children are receiving meals during the week, and that they are provided with food to take home on the weekends. Additionally, we make contributions toward school gardens so that children living in poverty have the opportunity to obtain fresh, nutritious food, which they would likely otherwise go without.
How you can help
You can help a child who faces hunger in a few different ways. One way is by sponsoring a child with us. For $35 a month, you provide basic needs, including food, for a child in need, while also making an investment in their future.
You can also help children in need by donating to either our U.S. Feeding Programs Fund or our International Feeding Programs Fund. Donations supporting our U.S. Feeding Programs Fund support such endeavors such as our Backpack Feeding Program, which gives children in Eastern Kentucky food to take home on the weekends and in the summer when school is out. The purpose of our International Feeding Programs Fund is to feed enrolled children who would otherwise go hungry, so that they can be alert at school and ready to learn. This fund supports programs in the Philippines, Kenya, and Ethiopia to buy grains, meats, vegetables, and cooking supplies to feed children.
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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD with Children Incorporated?
You can sponsor a child with Children Incorporated in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our donation portal, create an account, and search for a child that is available for sponsorship.
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References:
http://www.thp.org/knowledge-center/know-your-world-facts-about-hunger-poverty/
http://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/child-hunger-facts.html
https://www.wfp.org/node/646670
http://www1.wfp.org/zero-hunger