Change by Doing Explore the world of volunteering and service

This month is Hunger Action Month, a chance for all of us to focus on those around the world, and, sadly, those next door, who don’t have enough to eat. Feeding America is the driving force behind the month of awareness and action, and the theme website has great ideas for individuals, families, and kids to get involved by volunteering and advocating for the hungry. 30 Ways in 30 Days has a new suggestion for each calendar day of the month to be part of the answer. (For example, today it suggests changing your facebook status to reflect Hunger Action Month. Next Tuesday, join the Huddle to Fight Hunger and Kraft Foods will donate a dollar to the cause. Other corporate sponsors also help extend your reach.

There is a simple search engine so you can find the food bank closest to you, where you can volunteer any time of year with achievable tasks for the whole family, like packing meals, driving delivery vans, shelving donated items, helping cook in the kitchens, and more. The face of hunger is not only the homeless woman outside your office. It is many many kids in school who only get one solid meal a day that is provided in the cafeteria. It is the single parent not quite able to make ends meet. It might easily be your neighbor or friend or even you. Food banks in even the wealthiest communities across the country have had the requests double over the past two years in today’s still floundering economy. People who never thought they’d need help have had to reach out. Hunger is a thing people hide if they can, so meet them more than halfway by driving the conversation, and action, to make going to bed hungry a thing of the past.