Dear Editor:
I am writing in response to the Spoontember challenge that Feeding America is implementing this month to raise awareness of hunger in America.
Child hunger still is a problem in the United States. One out of six Americans struggle with hunger. Three out of the top five states having the highest-rate of food-insecure children (under 18) are here in the South.
Hungry children cannot learn in the classroom and suffer from negative health and developmental side effects. No child in Tennessee should have to face these challenges.
The No Kid Hungry network has helped bring more than 34 million additional meals to kids who need them and created ways to replicate that success throughout the country. In Tennessee, the No Kid Hungry campaign has supported expanding access to free meals in the summer.
The campaign is also empowering families with the skills, knowledge and confidence to prepare healthy, affordable meals through Cooking Matters.
As a Hunger Advocate, I believe that no child in America should go hungry, and I urge your readers to make the same pledge by visiting NoKidHungry.com.
Marcy Kaufman
Nutrition intern,
University of Memphis
Editor’s note: Follow the hashtag #Spoontember on Twitter.com for related news.
