November 16, 2020
For many cultures and faiths, it’s the holiday season. While each holiday is unique, they share some similarities, and one of those is the important symbol of light. For example, diyas are lit for Diwali, menorahs for Hanukkah, yule logs for Christmas, and kinaras for Kwanzaa.
With all of this brightness, it’s hard to imagine that many individuals and families are unsure about where their next meal will come from. After nearly a full year of COVID-19’s devastating effects, which include stretching health care resources, closing schools and businesses, and driving up unemployment, shining a spotlight on hungry households is more important than ever.
In 38 states and the District of Columbia, more than 1 in 10 adults with children said they did not have enough to eat in the first few months of the pandemic. To start to appreciate what this means, try this exercise: list all of the adults with children you know. Circle at least one name for every 10 on the list. Now imagine how many are in your neighborhood, town or city, county, state, and finally, in the entire country.
The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. Solutions exist to address America’s hunger crisis, which has only deepened as a result of COVID-19. And you can help shine a light on those solutions.
Tell your Members of Congress and the President to take immediate action to pass a comprehensive COVID-19 relief bill that makes investments in nutrition and other critical programs to assist people in meeting their basic needs during the pandemic and beyond. Hungry people can’t wait any longer. For details and helpful links on how to do that, head to https://frac.org/covid-19-actions.
In addition to hanging lights or burning candles and lamps this holiday season, let’s flip the switch on hunger and turn on a light of hope because no one in this country should experience hunger no matter what time of year it is, let alone during the holidays.
For 50 years, the Food Research & Action Center has been the leading national nonprofit organization working to eradicate poverty-related hunger and undernutrition in the United States. To learn more, visit FRAC.org and follow us on Twitter and on Facebook.
