When we hear the phrase ‘world hunger’, most of us think of places in third world countries where many people are indeed suffering from hunger and malnutrition. Some of us may even have visions of late night infomercials from organizations that claim to provide assistance to starving children in these third world countries.
To make an impression on their audience, often these organizations include in their commercials children with protruding bellies and hungry eyes to make sure that the viewers understand just how great the need is; and for a moment or two we empathize with ‘those’ people and leave it as ‘their’ issue not ours – not in this country – not in our world. Think again.
On Thursday, April 12, Gina and Pat Neely of Food Network’s ‘Down Home with the Neely’s ’hosted a special screening event of the documentary ‘Hunger Hits Home’ at the Directors Guild of America. The documentary is “a new Food Network produced documentary, narrated by Oscar winning actor and longtime anti-hunger activist Jeff Bridges. It focuses on the devastating hidden crisis of childhood hunger in America.
The film is part of an ongoing partnership between Food Network and Share our Strength. By surrounding children with nutritious food where they live, learn and play, the No Kid Hungry initiative aims to eradicate child hunger in America by 2015. In the wealthiest nation in the world, one in five children lives in the shadow of hunger.
In ‘Hunger Hits Home’, audiences will get a first-hand look at the crisis of childhood hunger in America through the eyes of the people on the frontlines of the battle—parents and children, anti-hunger activists, educators and politicians committed to eradicating the problem. “Hunger Hits Home” examines the causes, complications and misconceptions about childhood hunger in the United States and offers a glimpse at some of the innovative solutions being put into practice today.
One might think that this is an issue that the government officials and anti-hunger activists should handle. Certainly well-known celebrities and Los Angeles tastemakers wouldn’t have time to leave their families on a Thursday night to lend their support to such an effort. Think again.
In addition to Pat and Gina Neely graciously making their way down the red carpet, Kevin Eubanks of ‘The Tonight Show’, Sasha Perl Raver, of ‘Private Chefs of Beverly Hills’, Tenille Houston, of ‘GCB, Bad Girls’, Jennifer Freeman of ‘My Wife and Kids’, Tom Hallick of ‘The Young and the Restless’ and countless other well- known personalities took time out from their busy schedules and their families to come out to support this cause.
As Pat and Gina Neely said, “This is more than just a cause…this is a human problem…if we can’t help our children, who can we help? Our children are the next generation—they need nutritious meals so they can learn and grow and be prepared to run this country.”
Eradicate child hunger by 2015? Sounds impossible, doesn’t it? Think again. “Surrounding children with nutritious food where they live, learn and play.” We can do this. This is America.
