8 ways you can take action to fight child hunger

At Every Meal, we believe that child hunger is solvable. It’s not a supply problem; it’s a distribution problem. With over 300,000 children in Minnesota living with food insecurity, we’re taking action to change that reality. Through our Weekend Meal Program, we provide students at nearly 400 schools across Minnesota with a consistent and reliable source of nutrition for the weekends so they’re ready to start Mondays with full bellies and ready to learn. September is Hunger Action Month, and we invite you to join us in taking action to fight child hunger right here in our community.

Every action counts. Whether it’s learning more about food insecurity, getting hands-on through volunteering, powering our work with a donation, or sparking conversations with others about the issue, each action helps us get closer to our vision of ensuring Every Child has Every Meal. Below are 8 ways you can take action this September.

LEARN MORE

1. Explore Our Blog: If you’re looking to learn more about child food insecurity in Minnesota and our work, our blog is a great place to start and explore a range of topics. From stories about how our program has made an impact on a local family to highlights from volunteers to trivia behind the food we provide to kids, you’ll come away with something new.

2. Attend Our Campaign Celebration Event: Join us for a special evening on October 7 from 4:30-6:30pm to celebrate the success of our Setting the Table campaign. This milestone marks the purchase, expansion, and renovation of our building in Roseville – nearly doubling our space so we can reach even more kids across the state. This event is the perfect way to see our mission in action: cut the ribbon on our new expanded facility, meet the team behind the work, and get a tour of our renovations. Whether you’re new to Every Meal or a longtime supporter, you’re invited to come experience how we’ve set the table for what’s next.

GET HANDS ON

3. Volunteer to Pack Food Bags: Every single one of the food bags we provide to kids is packed by volunteers. As a Food Bag Packing Volunteer, you’ll join other members from our wonderful community at our Volunteer Center in Roseville in a high-energy and high-impact atmosphere.  You’ll form assembly lines and pack bags with a variety of shelf-stable fruits, vegetables, proteins, grains, and entrees that contain approximately four meals for the weekend.

4. Volunteer to Distribute Food Bags: Distributing food bags directly in children’s backpacks is at the heart of what we do. As a Food Distribution Volunteer, you’ll be at the center of it, providing a reliable and consistent source of nutrition to children every week. You’ll be part of a network of hundreds of volunteers ensuring students in nearly 400 schools across Minnesota have their Every Meal food bags ready to go for the weekends.

POWER OUR WORK 

5. Fund Food: Donate non-perishable foods like canned peaches or macaroni & cheese from the comforts of your home or office. Browse our food list and select the items you’d like to donate. Through our bulk purchasing, we’re able to stretch your dollars further than what you’d pay at the grocery store.

6. Join our Monthly Giving Circle: Turn your donation into a recurring gift by donating $5 or more per month. You’ll automatically join Every Meal’s Monthly Giving Circle, a group of sustaining supporters playing a key role in our current and growing work to change the story of child hunger in Minnesota. As a Meal Maker, you’ll receive exclusive benefits in recognition of your contribution. Your gift of $11/month will provide a child with a weekend food bag once a month.

SPARK CONVERSATIONS

7. Follow us on social media: Stay up-to-date on our work and the impact we’re making in children’s lives. Follow along in September as we debunk myths about child hunger and share the facts. Like, comment, or share our posts so that more people become aware of the child hunger issues we face in our state.

8. Wear Every Meal apparel: Wearing our branded apparel, like our trucker hat or sweatshirt, can help start a casual conversation with a neighbor, at the grocery line, or a sports game. It’s a great way to increase awareness about Every Meal’s mission and work in the community.

Thank you for taking action. Remember, no action is too small and has the potential to make a big impact in our fight against child hunger.