Join the fight against hunger
When we think of individuals suffering from hunger, what image comes to mind? Most people relate hunger to those who are underweight. This is a false stereotype. In reality, the obesity epidemic is directly related to poverty rates. Fresno has continued to feel the impact of this social issue.
Fresno’s rate of hunger and poverty is almost double the average rate across the nation. According to the Fresno Community Scorecard, 44 percent of all Fresno children live in poverty and one in four children under 18 years old struggles with hunger, which is significantly worse than the one in six ratio of California or compared to the national average of only 23 percent of children struggling with poverty.
Our children deserve a better future and if they continue to struggle with hunger and poverty it will continue to leave them at a disadvantage. If children are hungry how can we expect them to focus on school and being a kid? We need to work together in order to fight the hunger.
Get involved with the local food pantry, soup kitchen, food banks or food recovery program. Without volunteers these organizations would not be able to feed those they are serving.
Nicole Owens, Fresno
This story was originally published December 2, 2015 at 8:01 AM with the headline "Join the fight against hunger."