You Can’t Be Awesome When You’re Hangry

I am thrilled to work with The Motherhood, ConAgra Foods, and Kid President this summer to help combat child hunger. This is a sponsored post. Also, how great is it that I can say I’m working with Kid President??

One of the things I used to dread just a little bit about summer when the boys were younger—and especially when they were in their early teen years and doing the most growing—was the constant disappearance of food in this house. Their being home all day long meant that all day long they were in the refrigerator and the pantry, on a constant hunt for snacks. I was at the grocery store so often that I was on a first-name basis with the clerks.

We were lucky, though. We always had food in the house.

When children are out of school for the summer, nearly 90 percent have limited or no access to the free or reduced price meals they receive at school during the school year. This means that children may be at even greater risk for hunger during the summer months.

ConAgra Foods’ Hunger-Free Summer Initiative with Feeding America, now in its fifth year, has supported the delivery of 3.8 million meals to children struggling with hunger over the summer. This summer, 26 food banks in 18 states will use Hunger-Free Summer grants, funded by the ConAgra Foods Foundation – ranging from $20,000 to $50,000 – to expand their summer feeding program, bringing more healthy meals to more children during the summer. Through their partnership with Feeding America, ConAgra Foods and ConAgra Foods Foundation—a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity which has a $10 million, five-year commitment to Feeding America—have provided more than 355 million pounds of food and invested more than $38 million in capacity building, child hunger programs, and ground-breaking research.

I will be visiting a local food bank in the next month to see firsthand how it all works and will report back afterwards, but in the meantime have you ever thought about how easy it is to pick up a few extra items at the grocery store and then drop them off at the food bank? It feels really good to make that extra effort, knowing that someone might have a few moments of not having to think about where their next meal is coming from.

If you’ve got kids who are home for the summer, you’ve probably already heard, “I’m bored!” Why not consider volunteering at a feeding site? You and your young ones can help out by transporting food, assist with lunch preparation and clean up, or participating in activities with other children there. Visit www.feedingamerica.org to find a nearby food bank in need of volunteers. (Another idea? Do a neighborhood food drive!)

To learn more about the issue of child hunger, visit www.childhungerendshere.com and click on the “taking action” tab.

To find meal sites in your area, call the National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479).

This year, Kid President is working with the Hunger-Free Summer Initiative. I love that guy. His videos are always funny, uplifting, educational and thought-provoking, not to mention the fact that he’s a dancing machine. Slightly related: I just want to squeeze his cheeks. And guess what? By just watching his new video, you’re providing a meal for a kid who might otherwise not have access to lunch this summer.

I love Kid President’s message that summer is awesome, but not awesome for everyone because “You can’t be awesome when you’re hangry.” This video is a great conversation-starter for kids and will likely make them want to spring into action even without your having to suggest it.

View, like or share Kid President’s new video to raise awareness for kids who are at risk of hunger this summer and help make kids’ summers “awesome!” Every time you take one of these actions, the ConAgra Foods Foundation will donate the monetary equivalent of one meal to the nation’s leading hunger-relief organization, Feeding America, up to two million meals.*

I’ll be back with more on my food bank visit!

*For every view, like or share of this Kid President video recorded on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr and Google+ from May 22, 2014 through July 31, 2014, the ConAgra Foods Foundation will donate 11.1¢, the cost for Feeding America to provide one meal through its network of local food banks. Minimum donation of 10,000 meals ($11,111). Maximum donation of two million meals ($222,000). Valid in U.S. only.