What does a Hunger Hoosier look like?

By Michelle Plummer of Winners Drink Milk

Can you pick them out of a crowd?  Are they rich or poor, clean or dirty, standing on a street corner or working every day?  Each year, 15,000 people are homeless in central Indiana and daily Second Helpings prepares more than 3,500 meals daily to be served to agencies and families that otherwise would not have adequate food resources.

Hungry Hoosiers can be the neighbor next door, the family of a school mate or an office employee.  There is NOT a defined face of hunger any more than there is a defined face of healthy.  As Hoosier, we need to check in on our elderly neighbors (take them an extra meal one or two times a week, they would not be leftovers then!)  Who doesn’t like a home cooked meal served to them?  It wasn’t until my Mother moved into assisted living I even realized many people go hungry just because it is too tiring to cook!

The average age of a homeless person is nine years old!  Have you asked your child’s teacher how you can help a family?  How many times have leftovers been discarded?  Is there a way these leftovers can be used to feed a family in your community with discretion?

An estimated 103,000 children live in poverty in Indiana.  Donating to a food bank or shelter helps reduce this statistic.  Many families are one pay check away from hard times.  How can you help? Look in your pantry or donate the money saved from not dining out and cook in as a family!

Hunger is a term which has three meanings (Oxford English Dictionary 1971)

•  the uneasy or painful sensation caused by want of food; craving appetite. Also the exhausted condition caused by want of food
• the want or scarcity of food in a country
• a strong desire or craving

I provided you the definition of hunger to see where you are; personally I have a strong desire to end Hoosier Hunger.  Here is how you can help below:

Do you want to know how Indiana ranks in taking care of their own? Go to: 

 http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-studies/map-the-meal-gap.aspx

Want to help?  http://www.feedingindianashungry.org

Do you want to volunteer?  www.secondhelpings.org