Putting three meals a day on the table was a struggle for millions of people in the U.S. this year. Let's work to make sure kids have access to healthy food when they need it and to address the root causes of food insecurity.
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On any given day, 13 million children in the US worry about getting enough to eat. That’s 1 in 5 kids who can’t rely on having breakfast before they head off to school or look forward to dinner when they are finished with their day.
The negative effects of malnutrition and chronic food insecurity can be devastating. Children's brains and bodies can't fully develop without proper nutrition. And hunger can prevent kids from learning in school. Quite simply, children need adequate food and nutrition in order to grow and thrive.
A Smart Start
The first five years of a child’s life are the most crucial for brain development. Early childhood education — which some researchers call a gift that lasts a lifetime — can provide children with the developmental and learning skills they need to advance through each grade level. Children from low-income backgrounds who had access to 24 months or more of high-quality early childhood education before they turned six were more likely to graduate from college and had higher salaries at age 26.
In 1980, there were about 24 food banks in the United States. Today, there are more than 400, which serve 63,000 affiliated pantries, shelters, and soup kitchens. Red Nose Day has provided more than 2 million healthy meals to children and families to address this crisis, making sure people have something to eat right now.
While everyone understands what it feels like to be hungry, the problem is more complicated. The growth of the emergency food system helps people who are having difficulty getting enough food. But, it has not solved the issue of hunger in America. The main cause of food insecurity is poverty. While geography and “food deserts” (aka communities that don’t have grocery stores with affordable, healthy food) have some impact on food insecurity, low wages and centuries of discrimination are at the center of the problem.
At Red Nose Day, we are focused on fixing the system. Our programs include a youth farm in New Orleans that is teaching young people how to grow and harvest their own food while providing fresh produce to community members who can’t find those products in local stores, and a “little market” in Houston where community members can find fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, and bread in addition to classes that educate families about the importance of good nutrition and food choices.
A brighter future for all kids begins with you.
Your donation will help bring healthy food to children and families that need it along with other programs helping to break the cycle of poverty.
Your gift is 100% tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.