Dear Editor:
I am writing in response to Feeding America’s Spoontember and Power Your Lunchbox Pledge. September is Hunger Action Month and Spoontember is the social media activation launched by Feeding America in order to raise awareness of the 1 in 7 people struggling with hunger in America.
In order to participate in Spoontember, grab a spoon, put it on your nose, take a picture, and post it on social media with the hashtag #Spoontember and #FeedingAmerica.
Pledging to pack a healthier lunchbox is simple and means $1 donated to Feeding America food banks. Take the pledge at poweryourlunchbox.com/take-the-pledge/.
In 2014, 48.1 million Americans lived in food insecure households, including 32.8 million adults and 15.3 million children. The state of Tennessee was reported to have one of the highest amounts of household food insecurity with 16.3 percent of its residents listed in this category.
Subsequently, there are many food insecure children found 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.
As a hunger advocate, I believe that no child in America should go hungry and I urge your readers to learn more by visiting NoKidHungry.org.
Thank you,
Kimberly Boone, graduate clinical nutrition intern, University of Memphis
