Food Bloggers Against Hunger - The Results!

Food Bloggers Against Hunger Results from Nicole Gulotta on Vimeo.

The results are in!

On April 8th, food bloggers joined forces to help make a difference in the food system and support Share Our Strength and the new documentary A Place at the Table. Today, the ripple effect of this event is still making its way across the nation. (If you missed it, check out the event on Storify!) There are a series of impressive numbers, like almost 17,000 pins on Pinterest, and 2,400 letters submitted to Congress, but the real strength lies in the proof that our collective voice is more powerful than anything we could accomplish alone.

Tom Colicchio shared Anne Coleman's post when he met with 40 members of Congress on April 9th. Representative Jim McGovern tweeted about the work we were doing. The New York Times, Huffington Post, and Civil Eats took notice. And when policies begin to change (and they will), over the coming months, and this issue continues to remain in the spotlight, you will know that you had something to do with it. A big something.

Representatives like John Matheson (UT) have responded to your letters: "While I firmly believe that we all need to make tough decisions and share in the sacrifice to reduce our federal deficit, I do not support balancing the budget on the backs of our most vulnerable citizens."

Many of you have expressed your gratitude for my organizing this event, for giving you a platform to discuss these issues. But I have to extend the same gratitude back to you, because none of this would have been possible without you. Had I posted about this on my own blog, it would have made almost no difference. But the power of 250 bloggers behind this cause made for an incredible day.

Here are some highlights from your blog posts:

"Today, food bloggers across the country are writing about food insecurity. This is not to be confused with foodie insecurity, the worry that your salted caramel bacon doughnut on a stick isn’t photogenic enough for your Pinterest followers."  -Plant & Plate

"Far too many people understand what true hunger is, to not have enough to eat, to feel the twisting agony of real hunger as they lay in the dark night; to open cupboards, the refrigerator and see nothing for sustenance or thirst."   -Kate in the Kitchen

"I am angry that we are a nation of great wealth, and people are going hungry.  I am angry that those people are not given the appropriate tools to eat a nutritious diet.  I am angry that obesity and hunger are relatives.  But, I am also inspired.  I am inspired by people who give a damn!" -Corbin in the Dell

"I feel sickened to my core when I think what it must be like for moms who have to watch their children suffer the pangs of hunger, who have to tell their kids that she’s sorry but there’s just not anything for breakfast today." -Em-i-lis

"The real tragedy of food allergies and food insecurity is that families may take risks with their children's well being." -The Allergic Kid

Congratulations to everyone who participated and supported this event! Special thanks to Feastie and Share Our Strength for providing analytics.

What would you do if you were hungry?

If you're browsing through your RSS feed or checking your Twitter stream this morning, you might notice a common theme. Today, 200 food bloggers are donating their posts to raise awareness about the issue of hunger in America. And we're planning to make some noise.

This event began last August, when I had the opportunity attend an early screening of A Place at the Table through a local professional network. This was well before Participant Media had designed an action center, but I walked away knowing that this would be a wonderful partnership with The Giving Table. (If you haven't had a chance to see the film yet, I encourage you to do so. If it's not playing in your town, you can also watch it on demand on iTunes and Amazon.)

In preparing for this event during the past few weeks, I've been humbled by the reception in the food blog community, and proud of what we've set out to accomplish together. This event (and this website, really) began because I believe I'm not the only one who cares about these issues. All my feelings have been affirmed as I've watched my inbox fill with RSVPs from fellow bloggers who are standing with us today.

We're all joining together for one reason: to make a difference in our food system. Millions are hungry, and as many as 50 million people are food insecure and don't know where their next meal is coming from. SNAP—the nation’s food stamp program—is at risk for severe cuts that would impact millions of families, especially children, that rely on school meals and food stamps to survive. In response to the film, the country's leading anti-hunger organizations, Share Our Strength, Bread for the World, Feeding America, and The Food and Research Action Center, are asking supporters to help spread the word.

Private sector programs and charities aren’t enough. The only sustainable solution is for government policies to change, so we must make our voices heard.

Here's how you can get involved:

1. See the film

2. Spread the word on social media (follow the #takeyourplace hashtag!)

3. Join thousands of other advocates and send a letter to Congress TODAY (it only takes 30 seconds!)

Will you join 150 bloggers in the fight against hunger?

In one week, food bloggers are uniting to fight against hunger in America. Since the announcement of this event began several weeks ago, 150 bloggers have pledged to donate their posts to the cause on April 8th. In addition to sharing a budget-friendly recipe (SNAP participants are allocated less than $4 per day), bloggers will issue an important call to action, requesting that their readers send letters to Congress.

If you'd like more information about the event and how to get involved, click here.

In case you missed them, here are some media stories you might be interested in.

A Paycheck Doesn't Mean You Won't Go Hungry In America

“The stereotypes about who gets governmental help, in our experience, that’s not the reality,” says Ross Fraser, spokesman for Feeding America, the largest domestic hunger-relief organization in America. “SNAP was created as a supplement for working people to help feed their families. The average monthly benefit is $134 a month. That works out to about $1.50 per meal. That’s hardly enough to live off of on its own.”

Taking A Place at the Table

With hunger at near record levels, including one of two American children expected to be on food assistance at some point during their lives, and with few elected officials talking about it or media focusing on it, filmmakers Kristi Jacobson and Lori Silverbush perform an invaluable service by giving a voice to those who are too often voiceless, and in conveying that hunger can be solved.

Documentary Inspired Food Bloggers to Unite Against Hunger

In response to the dire situation, GivingTable.org has come together to start "Food Bloggers Against Hunger." The idea of the movement and charity event is to unite food bloggers together on April 8 to take actions towards improving food assistance for families in need.

A Serving of Hard-to-Swallow Truths

This young woman — proud and strong and ambitious — looks into her refrigerator, nearly bare only five days after the last paycheck and the tears start to flow. “It’s tiring,” she says.

Food Bloggers Unite to Fight Hunger

The Giving Table, a blog whose motto is “Doing good with food,” has organized a campaign for food bloggers to join in the fight against hunger. Bloggers are being asked to dedicate their posts on April 8 to raising awareness about hunger and telling readers what they can do to advocate for changes in food policy. The campaign comes in response to the documentary “A Place at the Table,” about hunger in America. Thanks to @bittman for this tip.

NGO Spotlight: Oxfam America

On Fridays, The Giving Table profiles a nonprofit organization that is doing good with food. To discover even more NGOs making a difference in our food system, browse our database by topic or state.

Mission

Oxfam America is a global organization working to right the wrongs of poverty, hunger, and injustice. Oxfam saves lives, develops long-term solutions to poverty, and campaigns for social change.

History

In 1942, a group of Quaker intellectuals, social activists, and Oxford academics formed the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief in response to the plight of refugees in Greece. After the war, Oxfam (a name derived from its postal code abbreviation) continued its work, sending materials and financial aid to groups aiding poor people throughout Europe. As the situation in Europe improved, Oxfam’s attention shifted to the needs of people in developing countries.

A group of volunteers founded Oxfam America in 1970 in response to the humanitarian crisis created by the fight for independence in Bangladesh. Oxfam Great Britain provided a loan for the group, and at first Oxfam America funneled funds exclusively through Oxfam Great Britain. Originally located in Washington, DC, Oxfam America relocated to Boston in 1973, where its small staff worked out of a borrowed room in a West Newton church basement.

In 2010, Oxfam America celebrated its 40th anniversary. While the organization today is a very different place—one that has grown and changed to address both the times and the changing needs of developing countries—several things have remained steadfast: the commitment to addressing issues of injustice and poverty, and the set of core values that has informed our work—legacies passed down through three decades of staff and board members.

Program Overview

Oxfam believes that poverty is wrong, and its approach to "righting" this wrong involves four broad categories: saving lives, developing programs to help people overcome poverty, campaigning for social justice, and changing how people think about poverty.

Oxfam works to address the root causes of poverty by addressing immediate needs in a community first, then shifting its business model to support community-based approaches that change people's lives in a lasting way.

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NGO Spotlight: The Alliance for Clean Cookstoves

On Fridays, The Giving Table profiles a nonprofit organization that is doing good with food. To discover even more NGOs making a difference in our food system, browse our database by topic or state.

Mission

The Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves is a public-private partnership that seeks to save lives, improve livelihoods, empower women, and protect the environment by creating a thriving global market for clean and efficient household cooking solutions.

The United Nations Foundation is the Secretariat and host for the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves. The Alliance is an initiative supported by the UN Foundation; the UN Foundation Board of Directors has full fiduciary responsibility for all financial and in-kind resources provided directly to the Alliance.

Program Overview

Nearly 3 billion people in the developing world cook food and heat their homes with traditional cookstoves or open fires. 4 million premature deaths occur every year due to smoke exposure from these methods. Women and children are the most affected.

What is a Clean Cookstove?

Clean cooking solutions are those technologies, fuels, equipment, and practices that address the health and environmental impacts associated with traditional cookstoves.

A clean cookstove is technology and fuel neutral, seeking to advance any and all solutions that are as clean and efficient as possible and are able to reach scale. However, acknowledging that lasting change does not happen overnight, the Alliance will also actively pursue intermediate solutions that can bring about real and measurable benefits to users.

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