Unilever Project Sunlight #ShareAMeal

It’s shocking to know that 1 in 5 children go to bed hungry every night in the United States of America.

Right here in America, there are over 16 million children struggling with hunger.

Rural, urban, and suburban-the issue of childhood hunger can’t be ignored.

I’ve partnered with Unilever’s Project Sunlight to rally people across the country to “Share A Meal to Help Turn the Tables on Child Hunger in America.”  

As a former teacher I witnessed on a daily basis the effects of childhood hunger.

Students who faced hunger were often withdrawn, tired, and lacked motivation.

I got involved by always keeping a supply of healthy snacks and food for students to eat.

You can get involved by sending healthy snacks to your children’s teachers for those students who may be facing childhood hunger.

My family participates in food drives to help end childhood hunger.

Your family can participate by donating to your local food bank.

My high school daughter #ShareAMeal by packing extra food in her lunch box to share with those children who may be hungry.

Your teens can get involved and #ShareAMeal by bringing an extra snack to school “just in case” a peer is facing childhood hunger.

Tell Us Why You #ShareAMeal

Spreading the word about childhood hunger and encouraging others to help is what this is all about.

Tell us why you #ShareAMeal by posting in the comments section below, on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or wherever you can get the word out!

GO to ProjectSunlight.us, there you can download the Unilever Share A Meal Toolkit to learn more about the power of a shared meal and get involved in one of the following ways:

• Help a Family in Your Neighborhood: Simply sharing a meal with a neighbor either in the form of a simple lunch or dinner party, or even packing an extra lunch for your child to take to school, could go a long way.

• Partner with Local Organizations: Local community organizations are great resources for sharing a meal in your area – simply tap into their networks to see how you can help.

• Coordinate with Your Local Food Bank: If you wish to volunteer or host your own local food drive, use Feeding America’s online Food Bank Locator tool to get in touch with a food bank in your area.

• Host a Virtual Food Drive: Feeding America’s Personal Fundraiser tool is a great place to start and to reach out to friends, family, and colleagues for contributions.

• Donate: Consider swapping a night out with a night in and share those extra savings with children and families in need in the form of a donation to Feeding America.

• Lend Your Voice: Inspire others by revealing why you’re helping to end child hunger on social media using, “I #ShareAMeal because…”

About SheKnows’ Hatch, the Hatch Hunger Project and Unilever Project Sunlight:

SheKnows’ Hatch teamed with Unilever Project Sunlight to help families build awareness and take action around child hunger in America. The facts are startling: 16 million kids living in the United States don’t know where their next meal is coming from. That equates to one in every five children – enough to fill 18,000 school buses and 223 football stadiums. On average, those who live in food-insecure households have only $36.50 to spend on groceries every week. That means that 80 percent of children may not understand the everyday struggle their peers – many of whom could be their own friends or neighbors – confront when there’s not enough food on the table. The Hatch Hunger and Project Sunlight video and workshop aims to create empathy by showing kids what it means to shop for healthy, filling meals for an entire week on a thrifty budget. It teaches important math and teamwork skills. Finally, it is about action, empowering kids to have a positive impact on their community to Share A Meal with a family in need and donating food and canned goods to local food banks.