Child hunger continues to be a problem in America, which may come as a surprise to many. Unlike other areas of the world, food scarcity is not the problem in the U.S.; the problem is poverty. With awareness comes the opportunity to be part of the solution. Here are five ways businesses can help end child hunger in our community:
- If you’re in the food business, partner with a food bank – According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, between 30 – 40% of the food supply in this country is wasted. There are many factors that create this problem, but every food business at the retail level, including grocery stores and restaurants, throws away edible, nutritious food that could make a difference for those in need.
- Promote employee volunteerism – Many companies begin a program of giving as a means of social responsibility but find there are additional benefits as well. Employee retention and satisfaction increase and the employer brand and reputation in the community improve.
- Points program – If your business has a program where customers earn points that can be redeemed for free or discounted items, consider the option of allowing the customer to choose to donate that reward instead.
- Special promotions – A store can select an item or line of products to target and specify a time period for the promotion. For example, “With every purchase of Product A in the month of February, $10.00 will be donated to Caterina’s Club.”
- Community events – Sponsoring a golf tournament or a 5K run or a pancake breakfast are great ways to highlight an important need, involve the community, and have a lot of fun.
Collecting canned food is a popular activity, especially around the holidays. While any and every contribution is of great help, it is almost always better to contribute money to the food banks. They have the ability to buy in bulk, which makes the money go so much further, and they know what they need.
No child in America should go to bed hungry. Help us end the cycle of poverty.