Purpose

Various activities have been developed to increase awareness of the extent of hunger in America, along with the consequences of hunger on individuals, families and society as a whole.

Description

WeCanEndHunger includes links to helpful information and materials on a wide range of food and nutrition topics.  Please LET US KNOW if you have suggested items that can be added on HUNGER AWARENESS AND ADVOCACY.

Wisconsin Hunger Task Force

• Food for Today - Hunger issues can be complex.  To help you understand them better, we've created Food for Today: A Hunger Simulation.  During Food for Today participants take on the roles of Wisconsin residents trying to obtain food. In about one hour, participants have to budget their income, deal with social service agencies, and shop local grocery outlets (stores and markets) to provide food for themselves and their families over the course of 3 different days.  Participants learn more about the root causes of hunger and how to take a concrete action steps towards ending it.  A Food For Today Fact Sheet is used to provide information on community resources along with facts about hunger and poverty.  Food for Today is suitable for use in community organizations, places of worship, schools, workplaces, and social service settings.  The minimum, and optimal, number of people needed for the simulation is 16.  A maximum of 50 participants is best.  The simulation is also most effective with adults and high school-aged youth.
• Voices Against Hunger is a grassroots group of individuals with over 200 members, organized by Hunger Task Force, committed to fighting hunger and acting for change.

California Project LEAN (Leaders Encouraging Activities and Nutrition)

• Playing the Policy Game (also see Spanish version) outlines activities that drive the policy change process. Each step of the process is described in detail.
• Community-Based Social Marketing Approach to build involvement in Project LEAN initiatives.

Atlanta Community Food Bank

• Hunger 101 Curricula and Materials - The Hunger 101 project offers five curricula modules that include complete, detailed lesson plans and appendices with supplemental materials for lessons in addition to additional readings on hunger.
  • Hunger 101 – A Guide and Activity Workbook (target age – community members of all ages) - This curriculum is full of facts, activities and resources that create awareness about hunger as a local, national and global problem.  It has materials for all ages and can be used in the classroom, with youth groups and as a guide to lead workshops within almost any community organization.
  • Safe and Secure: Community Responses to Hunger (target age – upper elementary to adult) - This curriculum covers the 6 basic components of food security.  It includes activities that educate participants about poverty despite work and the challenges to food security in this country. It also offers resources and links to other hunger fighting organizations and advocacy groups.
  • Looking Through Stories’ Windows (target age – high school to adult) - This resource was developed to foster awareness about hunger through story.  This curriculum is intended for participants with little or no prior knowledge of hunger and poverty issues.  Stories include excerpts from Gap Creek, Bastard Out of Carolina, All Over But the Shoutin', The Grapes of Wrath, Native Son, and more.
  • Plant a Seed – Fight Hunger – Community Gardening as a Food Security Resource (target age – community members of all ages) (Currently under revision and unavailable) - This resource will create awareness about hunger, food quality, food security and community gardening.  It should empower participants to pursue community gardening projects and empower gardeners to assist anti-hunger organizations.
  • Voices Against Hunger – An Anti-Hunger Advocacy Guide (target age – junior high to adult) – This curriculum is an introduction to becoming an anti-hunger advocate.  It offers the resources and tools necessary to develop a strategy, identify the problem and tips on testifying.  Information on how a bill becomes a law and the budget process for the state of Georgia and for advocacy groups doing work nationally and internationally.
• Feast or Famine the Food Security Board Game - This game allows kids the opportunity of navigating the kind of month that faces over 33 million Americans every day.  The game includes a Teacher's Guide that is full of resources and ideas for taking the discussion deeper.  The game has TALK ABOUT IT spaces built into the month that offer an opportunity to share facts, ideas, and increase awareness about hunger and poverty in this country and how we can become advocates against hunger.  It is a very engaging introduction to these important issues.
• “Hunger 101” Patch Project for Girl Scouts – Special patch project for Daisy through Senior Girl Scouts through three focus areas: Hunger, Nutrition, Gardening.

Outcomes

As shown through the Hunger Message Project's 2008 Election Day Poll, voters strongly favor spending additional tax dollars on programs to combat domestic and global hunger, even when they are told the cost.  Hunger awareness activities can help promote greater sensitivity, support and involvement in efforts to address hunger and poverty on local, state and national levels.