6-07-2022 4:33am

GOAL: FEED OVER A MILLION

Fight hunger in your community through Sinclair Cares: Summer Hunger Relief

Hunt Valley's Sinclair Broadcast Group, The Tennis Channel and Bally Sports kick off a partnership with Feeding America with the goal of providing 1 million meals through the summer.

About 22 million children nationwide rely on schools for their meals but those meals can stop during the summer, leaving them at risk of hunger. The monthlong Sinclair Cares: Summer Hunger Relief campaign aims to raise $100,000 through June 30. Sinclair will match the first $25,000 in donations made here.

On average, for every dollar donated, Feeding America provides 10 meals to people serviced by its network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries. To find a location near you, click here.

According to Feeding America's chief government relations officer Vince Hall, five-sixths of children who receive meals from their school cafeteria during the school year don't have a reliable source of nutrition during the summer.

“The 90 days of summer should be 90 days of enrichment and exercise and rejuvenation and kids should come back to school in the fall nourished, energized and ready to learn," Hall said.

He said often families who rely on government programs like SNAP or WIC run out of their allotted assistance before their funds are replenished at the start of each month. That money goes even quicker during the summer when kids aren't in school.

“It is heartbreaking to talk to a mother who is skipping meals so that her child has enough food to eat," Hall said. “They’re going to turn, and their families are going to turn Feeding America food banks like the Capital Area Food Bank to help them keep their kids nourished during those long summer months.”

Meeting that extra summer demand in the nation's capital and across the country has been made more difficult by rising inflation. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in April groceries were 10.8% more expensive than in April 2021.

“We’re seeing increases anywhere from 10 to 30% just in the last few months in the food that we’re purchasing because of supply chain challenges and because of inflation," Capital Area Food Bank president and chief executive officer Radha Muthiah said.

The challenge comes after two years of laborious service to an influx of individuals experiencing food insecurity during the pandemic.

“This one-two punch of COVID and then high inflation is really affecting low-income families," Muthiah said.

The Washington, D.C. food bank is still distributing 50% more than it did pre-pandemic. Even through the high level of demand, Feeding America remains dedicated to ensuring the food they provide communities isn't just readily accessible but nutritious, too. Between 80 to 85% of what's distributed at Capital Area Food Bank is considered a wellness food, meaning produce, protein and foods that are low-sugar, low-salt and high in fiber.

“When you don’t have the right nutrition, you’re basically stunting your growth. You’re practically insuring that down the road you will have one or another type of poor health outcome that might then curtail you know, the productivity and the health of the life that you can lead as well," Muthiah said.

Hall and Muthiah believe systematic changes to food assistance programs can make a huge impact in the health and development of children and families across the United States. They look forward to Feeding America playing a role in the White House's Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health in September. The Biden administration set the goal of ending hunger in the U.S. by 2030.

“There are so many things that we can work on in this country," Hall said. We can work on housing. We can work on health care. We can work on retirement security. We can work on giving everyone the opportunity to learn and thrive to the best of their God-given gifts but everything starts with being fed.” INFO HERE