Dandelion Moms Project Kindness :: Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign

What is the dandelion moms Project Kindness? Well, every month we select an organization that is helping others in some capacity.  One month we supported a grassroots non-profit organization that was helping to create a library filled with books in a small town in the the Dominican Republic.  Another month we supported the Project Night Night that helps children in shelters feel safe and loved with a special tote bag that is filled with a children’s book, blanket and a stuff animal.  It warms my heart to see our lovely dandelion moms helping in any way they can – even if it is sharing the post about an organization helping others and getting the word out. This month I wanted to feature Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign that is helping to end childhood hunger in the United States.  With so much to be thankful for – this is a wonderful way to give back to those in need and maybe even make it a new family tradition! Read more about what they are doing and how you can help.

Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign is ending childhood hunger in this nation by making sure all kids get the healthy food they need, every day. Making sure kids have access to school meals can make a huge difference. The No Kid Hungry campaign is working with partners across the country to rethink how school meals are served, whether in the classroom or on the go, which can change a child’s day, week and even her future.

Nearly one in five children in America lives in households that struggle to put food on the table. They may look no different than other children; child hunger in America is often invisible. They are hurting, just the same.

To illustrate the fear and pain hunger causes a child, the No Kid Hungry campaign has launched “The Story of Hungry” a short, animated film depicting hunger through the eyes of a young girl. Narrated by Academy Award-winning actor Jeff Bridges, the short film moves beyond statistics to talk about hunger from the perspective of a child. To her, hunger is not the fact that her grades will suffer, or that she doesn’t have the proper nutrition to grow. Hunger is scary, emotional and the “meanest, ugliest monster you’ve ever seen.”

The good news is that we can change the story of hungry for our youngest generation. We can make the monster go away.

How you can help:

·         Donations to No Kid Hungry help Share Our Strength provide food, supplies and technical assistance to organizations feeding kids via summer meal and breakfast programs.  They also teach families how to prevent hunger at home.

·         Take a look at this video  for The Story of Hungry that depicts hunger through the eyes of a child.

·         Watching and sharing “The Story of Hungry” video can help inspire readers and their friends to be part of the fight against childhood hunger. The simple act of sharing the video can help make a real difference in spreading the word.  When sharing on Facebook and Twitter please use the hashtags #NoKidHungry and #changethestory.

·         Have your family  make a donation worth one or more meals!  Every little bit counts – in fact just $1 can help connect a child in need with up to 10 meals!  This might be a great activity to do with the kids and have them help raise money by either setting up a hot cocoa stand in your neighborhood or at their next sporting event. 

We made a donation to Share Our Strength in honor of dandelion moms and what they represent – sending out seeds of kindness!

MORE IDEAS:

Make some Blessing Bags to hand out:

Pack a large zip lock bag with a couple energy bars, a bar of soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, Kleenex, water bottles and the next time you see someone who is in need of some assistance – hand them one of these bags.  I plan to store some in my car in case I come across some homeless people. We can usually see them in our nearby beach cities or asking for help at the turnoff on freeways.  To read more about what you can include in the zip lock bag or even a backpack go to: https://kwavs.blogspot.com/2011/05/blessing-bags-how-to.html

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends and try to help someone in need!