There are children in the world who, sadly, lack food. Restaurateurs have food – as well as a conscience that makes them want to help people, which is probably what led them to the hospitality business to begin with. Enter Share Our Strength and its No Kid Hungry campaign.
“The first step to fighting childhood hunger in America is understanding that this is a solvable problem, and the restaurant industry can lead the way,” says Jennifer Kaleba, senior manager, communications for Share Our Strength, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC. “No child should grow up hungry in America, but one in five children struggles with hunger.”
Founded in 1984, Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign is working to end child hunger in America by ensuring all children get the healthy food they need, every day. No Kid Hungry is, the group says, building toward a future “where kids will get a healthy breakfast every day at school so they’re ready to learn, and they won’t have to worry about how they’re going to eat when school is out for the summer when the safety net of school meals isn’t available to them. Rather than feeling the stress of food insecurity, kids will just be able to be, well, kids.”
The No Kid Hungry campaign connects kids in need with nutritious food and teaches families how to cook healthy, affordable meals. Food service operators can join Team No Kid Hungry and participate in a variety of ways. For instance, foodservice operators can partner with No Kid Hungry through the Dine Out for No Kid Hungry campaign, the country’s most powerful, restaurant-led anti-hunger movement. With more than 11,000 restaurants participating in guest fundraising programs, from local mom-and-pop’s to national brands with vast franchise networks, No Kid Hungry is able to feed millions of children healthy meals every day.
“Every September, restaurants come together for Dine Out for No Kid Hungry to shine a spotlight on childhood hunger as a solvable, national priority,” says Kaleba. “Throughout the year, cities across the country host Taste the Nation for No Kid Hungry events where restaurants can showcase their culinary creativity for a good cause.”
From industry sponsors like Sodexo, Ecolab and Open Table to restaurant partners like Denny’s, Ted’s Montana Grill, Corner Bakery, Dairy Queen and thousands more, Team No Kid Hungry has proven a powerful uniter for foodservice operators, Kaleba points out. “The restaurant industry is united in its goal to help end childhood hunger. This kind of competitive collaboration is helping the industry stand together, while helping individual operators stand out in how they engage their customers to Dine Out for No Kid Hungry.”
Operators can sign up to join Dine Out for No Kid hungry at nokidhungry.org/dineout – because feeding hungry people is what they do.
Howard Riell
