I have taught in middle and high schools, served as a police chaplain, helped teach self-defense and martial arts to orphans, and led a program that housed and fed homeless families and children.  I have seen first-hand that hungry infants suffer from increased medical conditions such as diabetes, anemia, and even asthma.  Numerous medical articles back this up.  Further, I have seen that children that only eat at school, and have no dinner or snacks after they go home, lose focus in class, have impaired motor skills, and can seem agitated when scholastic work is challenging.  I have stepped in to try to help find resources when children have been caught shoplifting in order to feed themselves and their siblings.  In my opinion, many children have to grow up way too fast as they become preoccupied with meeting the food responsibilities of others in their families.  I’m not being dramatic.  Ask a student resource officer from the police department.  Ask a teacher or a pediatrician what they are seeing or experiencing while interacting with children.  Stop by a local food pantry and hear the stories the workers will tell you.  Talk to the staff at Girls Inc., Boys and Girls Club, or a Family Promise.  Log onto Feeding America’s website and look at the statistics for your county.  Some of the stories you will hear will break your heart and some will inspire you and give you hope!

Board members of Y-12 FCU Gives Foundation and I have been visiting these very places mentioned and seeing wonderful things taking place.  Hungry children are being fed through all different organizations in our areas.  If we focus just on the hunger, we will become discouraged.  We must focus on the answer.  I believe the answer is to support a “hub” that can be dedicated to assessing needs, evaluating agencies’ ability to meet that needs, and effectively raising support to be distributed in a mindful and effective way, so as to spread resources strategically to reach more hungry children.  That’s a big job.  It takes a dedicated team.  But the Gives Foundation has recruited people that are tops in their fields to help meet this need.  When you give to the Y-12 FCU Gives Foundation your support does not go to expensive administration costs.  The people serving are some of the most talented and educated volunteers that give their time freely in order to see donations go to feed kids.

You can support the foundation in feeding kids by sponsoring a fundraising event, buying chocolate at a Y-12 FCU branch, or giving directly to the Foundation.

Let’s work together to fight childhood hunger.  Giving has been made easy.  Click the donate button; your gift is tax-deductible and will be appreciated by many.

WRITTEN BY:
Dr. Gary Brewster
Executive Director
Y-12 FCU Gives Foundation