Are we doing better than other counties?

his week i read that child hunger is an issue in every single county in the US.      EVERY.SINGLE.COUNTY.       This made me wonder about my own county.  When we think about hunger... or at least when I do, I think that it's probably worse in the inner city areas and then again in the very rural areas but O'Fallon was just voted one of the top 100 best places to live in the whole country by Money Magazine, so surely it's not too bad here, right?

Well, further investigation shows that while we are slightly better off than the inner city of St. Louis, which has 24.4% of it's children in food insecure homes, and much better than some of Missouri's more rural counties like Reynolds County, which has 31.3% of it's children in food insecure homes, we still have a whopping 17.6% of Saint Charles County children living in food insecure homes.  Take a look at the map below:

You can check out the interactive map yourself at:  

http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-studies/map-the-meal-gap.aspx

This is just a great reminder why what we're doing at Bear Necessities is so important.  These kids who are going hungry don't live in some far off land (though it's just as important to care for those kids too!), these kids live right next door to some of us... but they don't HAVE to be hungry!  We can change that and we are!

This week we will, again, be serving about 30 kids and we need the following items:

30 cereal bars

30 cans tuna

10 sleeves ritz crackers

23 cans soup

19 cans corn

14 applesauce

2 cheese cracker (must be peanut free and not processed in plant with nuts)

22 pudding cups
classroom approved snack bags

Our teachers are also noticing that a lot of our BN kids are coming to school without a snack during the day.  Studies show (and we all know it's true) children who do not get enough nutritious food to eat have higher levels of behavioral, emotional and academic problems and that's just not okay.  So, with that, we've also added snacks to the list.... just a few extras that the teachers can keep in their rooms and share at their discretion. 

Finally, I'm in the middle of planning a VERY IMPORTANT birthday party.  This Sunday will mark Bear Necessities ONE YEAR BIRTHDAY!  WOO! HOO! August 26, 2011 was the very first day that we sent food home with kids and we have. not. stopped!  In the next few weeks I am planning to open my home for a dessert celebration but the details will have to follow at a later time, so be sure to check back!

Last but not least, thank you to all of our volunteers and donors this week!  Here are just a couple of generous people who help make this possible.  For the record, their beautiful baby sister helped pack bags too but right when we were taking the picture a bug flew by and well, the girl doesn't like bugs!  

Have a blessed week everyone!