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1) Where do the foods that we eat everyday come from?
2) How do foods get from the farm to our plates?
3) Is there enough food to go around?
4) Can different types of food production affect one another?

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1) What happens when people don't have enough food to eat?
2) Does having a lack of food affect other areas of our lives?
3) Is the risk of being food insecure the same for everyone?
4) Is hunger the same as food insecurity?
5) What does it feel like to be hungry?

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1) What ways can we help address food insecurity and hunger?
2) What are some things we can do to help someone who is food insecure right now?
3) What are some ideas we can put into action to help prevent food insecurity in the future?
4) What are ways that we can influence change that do not involve money or physical donations?

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The Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena, Illustrated by Christian Robinson

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The Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena, Illustrated by Christian Robinson

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The realistic fiction story is about a grandmother who teaches her grandson a lesson about appreciating what you have instead of focusing on what you do not. This book also emphasizes the seeing the beauty in all things and helping others.

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Last Stop on Market Street [de la Peña, Matt, Robinson, Christian] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Last Stop on Market Street

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Food for Hope by Jeff Gottesfeld, Illustrated by Michelle Laurentia Agatha

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Food for Hope by Jeff Gottesfeld, Illustrated by Michelle Laurentia Agatha

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This is a picture book biography about a man named John van Hengel whose life experience with food insecurity inspired him to invent food banks.

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Food for Hope: How John van Hengel Invented Food Banks for the Hungry

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Food for Hope: How John van Hengel Invented Food Banks for the Hungry [Gottesfeld, Jeff, Laurentia Agatha, Michelle] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Food for Hope: How John van Hengel Invented Food Banks for the Hungry

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Manghi Moves a Mountain by Nancy Churnin, Illustrated by Danny Popovici

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Manghi Moves a Mountain by Nancy Churnin, Illustrated by Danny Popovici

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This is a fictional story about a man who lives near a mountain. On one side of the mountain, the people are very poor and cannot afford food while on the other side the people are rich and have more than enough. He decides to solve the problem by making a path through the mountain so the two villages can be closer together and give everyone access to food. This story explores being a change agent in the world when you notice a problem affecting your community.

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Dashrath Manjhi used a hammer and chisel, grit, determination, and twenty years to carve a path through the mountain separating his poor village from the nearby village with schools, markets, and a hospital. Manjhi Moves a Mountain is a true story about how we can all make a difference if our hearts are big enough.

Manjhi Moves a Mountain is the winner of the South Asia Book Award and a Junior Library Guild selection among many other honors. The book is available in English, in Braille through the National Braille Press, and in several languages in India, Sri Lanka and South Africa through the charitable organization Room to Read. It is a part of school curriculums. Educators can also get a low-priced paperback version through Scholastic's online Teacher Store.

Read an article about the One City One Book program in Pleasanton Weekly here.

2020 Greenwich Reads Together Elementary School Selection

2020 Winner Northern Dawn Lights Award for Best Nonfiction Picture Book

WINNER! MANJHI is the winner of the 2018 South Asia Book Award, presented at the 2018 NCTE in Houston in November! Manjhi was published Sept. 1, 2017 by Creston Books with fabulous watercolor illustrations by Danny Popovici. To complement this true story about a man in India who moved a mountain for love, using only a hammer, chisel and his own persistence, check out the page called 'Move Your Own Mountain,' where we celebrate kids to share stories of something they've done to make things better in their school and community. The goal is for the kids to inspire each other and make the kindness spread.

And check out the company Manjhi is keeping on this list: books by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.; Maria Tatar; Emily Jenkins; Curtis Manley; Philip Pullman; Csenge Zalka; Jane Yolen; Neil Gaiman; Kevin Crossley-Holland; Carmen Agra Deedy and Oge Mora! Thank you to the Anne Izard Storytellers' Choice Award committee!

In April 2019, MANJHI became available in Braille through the National Braille Press at this link here.

My story, We Can All Move Mountains, for Paths to Literacy for students who are blind or visually impaired here.

MANJHI also had a busy November of 2018. The book was presented at the New York City Librarians conference at CitiField in Queens Nov. 6, at the Louisiana Book Festival in Baton Rouge, LA Nov. 10 and received the 2018 South Asia Book Award, along with illustrator Danny Popovici, during the National Council for Teachers of English in Houston.

The Teacher Store at Scholastic now offers a low-priced paperback of Manjhi Moves a Mountain for educators only.

HONORS

SAKURA MEDAL shortlist: 2021

2020 Greenwich Reads Together

WINNER: 2019 Anne Izard Storytellers' Choice Award

WINNER: 2018 South Asia Book Award for grades Pre-K to 4

2019 Jack Ezra Keats Universal Childhood Experience

2019 Little Free Libraries Action Book Club selection by Children's Book Council

2017 Junior Library Guild Selection

2017-2018 Wisconsin State Reading Association Picture This list

2018 California Reading Association Eureka Honor Book

2018 Ezra Jack Keats Award Finalist

2018 Children's & Teen Choice Book Awards Finalist

2018 ILA-CBC Children's Choices List

2018 NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Selection

2017-2018 Wisconsin State Reading Association Picture This Recommendation List

Translated into Braille by the National Braille Press in April 2019

Translated by the non-profit charity, Room to Read, into multiple languages for children in Asia and Africa in 2019. Read The Kids Are All Write column about "Manjhi in Many Languages" here.

Letter from a parent to Maria Sweet, librarian, at West Rockill Elementary in Sellersville, PA., following a Skype presentation on MANJHI MOVES A MOUNTAIN:

Hi Mrs. Sweet,

I want to let you know how much of an impact this book made on Charlotte. She told us all the story, and all about Skyping with the author. My husband ordered her the book on Amazon, and it arrived today. She has read it aloud to each of us in the family already.

Thank you so much for choosing such an impactful book for the kids. One that teaches them about so many important issues: poverty, persistence, and helping others. Thank you also for arranging the Skype with the author, which made it all the more interesting and real for Charlotte.

Keep up your amazing work for our kids!

Check out and share the free Manjhi Moves a Mountain Curriculum Guide. It addresses the book's themes, teaches simple words in Hindi and gives a delicious recipe for roti.

MOVE YOUR OWN MOUNTAIN: Join children from all over in showing ways in you are moving mountains by making a positive difference in your school and community.. Share a photo and details that we can post here.

Check out MANJHI MOVES A MOUNTAIN in a Braille translation from the National Braille Press here.

REVIEWS

"A man moved a mountain - how is that even possible? I flipped the pages of Nancy Churnin's children's book, Manjhi Moves a Mountain with a sense of disbelief. Disbelief soon turned to awe as I learnt about Manjhi and his mountain."

--Nirupama, India Currents

"Manjhi Moves a Mountain "makes a great read aloud story with its frequent use of onomatopoeias and the saturated colors of each page. For readers and educators looking for biographies, or books about remarkable people, this is a must read... Inspiring."

-April Butler for The Crimson Review of Children's & YA Literature. Read the full review here.

"Manjhi's story is an excellent reminder of the power of one person to change the world and bring communities together."
- Clare Doornbus, Diesel Bookstore

"Manjhi inspires children to persevere despite challenges. Using a well-known Indian story, Nancy Churnin gives children valuable insight into another culture in a manner that promotes tolerance and cultural awareness."
- Rachel Ball-Phillips, Southern Methodist University

"This true life story of an Indian sage who became revered and known as the Mountain Man is inspiring and moving to young readers age 5 and up. Beautiful earth-toned illustrations depict the mighty work of Manjhi and the awe and respect of his village friends. "Manjhi Moves a Mountain" is a true modern treasure and wisdom life story."

- MidWest Book Review

"Churnin's prose has an elegance appropriate for her inspiring tale, which is based on a true story. Popovich's double-page illustrations use a warm palette and are nicely composed. Heartening. (Picture book. 5-8)"

-- Kirkus Reviews

"An author's note provides more information about Dashrath Manjhi (1934-2007), the inspiration for this tale, and encourages kids to move their own "mountain" and find a way "to make things better in your community" (a link to share their efforts with other readers is included). Filled with heart and hopefulness, this uplifting tale shows youngsters that one person can make a difference."

--School Library Journal, "The Power of Possibility: Dreamers Who Changed the World"

"Author Nancy Churnin, the theater critic for The Dallas Morning News, and illustrator Danny Popovici inject new life into the late Dashrath Manjhi's story. In Bihar, Manjhi single-handedly chiseled his way through a mountain-because it had prevented his injured wife from reaching the hospital on time. This superhuman feat, which helped his village gain better access to amenities, took the Mountain Man 22 years."

--Murali Kamma, Khabar Magazine

"If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito."... In my previous columns, I've already mentioned books about M K Gandhi, B R Ambedkar, Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg - all of them excellent examples of the effect that one person can have on the world. Here are some more stories: ... Manjhi Moves a Mountain, by Nancy Churnin and illustrated by Danny Popovici, is the story of how Dashrath Manjhi used a hammer and a chisel to carve a path through a mountain to connect his village to the outside world."

Shruth Rao, The undeniable power of one, Deccan Herald

"It is a great read for kids from Kindergarten and up."

-Valerie Chase, Literary Homeschool

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Dashrath Manjhi used a hammer and chisel, grit, determination, and twenty years to carve a path through the mountain separating his poor village from the nearby village with schools, markets, and a hospital. Manjhi Moves a Mountain is a true story about how we can all make a difference if our hearts are big enough.

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This is the story about the experience of a little girl whose parents just found out some bad news that affects their family. She tries to figure out ways she can help ease the burden on her family. It explores the idea that you can do little things to help instead of trying to always find a big solution.

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The Breaking News [Reul, Sarah Lynne, Reul, Sarah Lynne] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Breaking News

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This is a realistic fiction story from the point of view of a bully. The story alludes to the fact that he does not have enough food to eat at home and has a possibly abusive home life, so he takes it out on a little boy by stealing his lunch every day. This book is a great way to look at the perspectives of different people and the reasons why they might act in certain ways.

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Monthly Featured Book

By Nina LaCour

For one little girl, there's no place she'd rather be than sitting between Mama and Mommy. So when Mommy goes away on a work trip, it's tricky to find a good place at the table. As the days go by, Mama brings her to the library, they watch movies, and all of them talk on the phone, but she still misses Mommy as deep as the ocean and as high as an astronaut up in the stars. As they pass by a beautiful garden, the girl gets an idea . . . but when Mommy finally comes home, it takes a minute to shake off the empty feeling she felt all week before leaning in for a kiss.

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Every day Jimmy takes 'Skinny Kid's' lunch at school. No way will he be caught dead standing in that FREE LUNCH line. Even when he's called into the principal's office, Jimmy just shrugs. "Yeah. Whatever." Until a surprising act of empathy and allyship stops him in his tracks.

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This is a fictional story about a little girl who learns about food banks, who they are for, and how they work. It also discussed different ways to help people experiencing poverty and food insecurity.

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About the Author

Sue McLure is a former teacher and a grandmother of five, Sue has volunteered for 15 years at the Calgary Food Bank. She enjoys writing and is inspired by the young people who visit the food bank, learn about its 30-year history of helping Calgarians, and want to volunteer their help.

About the Illustrator

When Val Lawton was a kid, her favourite books always had great pictures So when it came to drawing her own pictures, she followed in the footsteps of illustrators like Ernest Shepard and Quentin Blake. It turns out Val's pretty good at it, too, because she's now written and/or illustrated 26 books. In addition to being a best-selling, award-winning children's book illustrator, Val also works as an artist-educator with the Learning Through the Arts program, which means she helps kids learn by creating their own art. Val lives in Calgary with her family and two beagles.

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Emma and the Food Bank is a fun, educational book that helps children understand how food banks work and why giving is important.

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The Great Food Bank Heist by Onjali Q. Rauf, Illustrated by Elisa Paganelli

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The Great Food Bank Heist by Onjali Q. Rauf, Illustrated by Elisa Paganelli

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This is a realistic fiction chapter book about a family who struggles to buy enough food, so they routinely visit a food bank. When the food bank is low on food, Nelson (main character) decides to find out why. This story goes into the reasons why the family is experiencing food poverty, and the importance of resources like food banks. It also touches on the importance of donations to these resources.

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Home / Books / 8-12 / Family / The Great (Food) Bank Heist

Ebook available to purchase via your usual platform.

Reading Age: 8 Interest Age: 8-12

ISBN: 978-1-78112-962-3

On Voucher Thursdays, Nelson, Asha and Mum head out to the Bank. But not just any old bank - the food bank. With its shining tins and packets of food stacked from floor to ceiling, Nelson thinks it's the best kind of bank there is. But there's a thief in town, and the shelves of the food bank are getting emptier each day, leaving people hungrier than ever. For the sake of his family and everyone else's, Nelson needs to make them stop. But can he and his friends really be the ones to catch the bank robber?
A percentage of all royalties earned from the sale of this book will be going towards Trussell Trust Food Banks, the Greggs Foundation Breakfast Club Programme and selected grassroots food bank charities. -
Information for Adults: This book has a dyslexia-friendly layout, typeface and paperstock so that even more readers can enjoy it. It has been edited to a reading age of 8.

AR Level - 5.1 ( What is an AR level?)

Read the first chapter of The Great (Food) Bank Heist below:

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The Great (Food) Bank Heist by Onjali Q. Raúf - Barrington Stoke

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Home / Books / 8-12 / Family / The Great (Food) Bank Heist Ebook available to purchase via your usual platform. Reading Age: 8 Interest Age: 8-12 ISBN: 978-1-78112-962-3 On Voucher Thursdays, Nelson, Asha and Mum head out to the Bank. But not just any old bank - the food bank.

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Saturday at the Food Pantry by Diana O'Neill, Illustrated by Brizida Magro

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Saturday at the Food Pantry by Diana O'Neill, Illustrated by Brizida Magro

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This realistic fiction story is about a little girl and her mom who visit a food pantry. It discusses a resource that families who are experiencing food poverty use to get access to nutritious foods.

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Molly and her mom don't always have enough food, so one Saturday they visit their local food pantry. Molly's happy to get food to eat until she sees her classmate Caitlin, who's embarrassed to be at the food pantry. Can Molly help Caitlin realize that everyone needs help sometimes?

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Saturday at the Food Pantry [O'Neill, Diane, Magro, Brizida] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Saturday at the Food Pantry

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This story is about a little girl named Sophia who discovers that her friend Maddie does not have enough food to eat when she takes a look in her fridge. She keeps Maddie’s secret but attempts to pack nutritious foods that she is eating for dinner every night, but they end up going bad by the time she brings them to school the next day. Sophia eventually tells her mother about Maddie’s situation, and they help her by donating food to her family. This story is a good reminder that our friends can be going through struggles that we are unaware of.

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Maddi’s Fridge | The Scholastic Teacher Store

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When Sofia discovers her best friend’s family doesn’t have money for groceries, the young girl inspires a frank consideration of childhood hunger.

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This fictional story talks about what it feels like to miss a meal and the way that you might mistakenly treat those around you when you are hungry. My hope is that the story will lead to a discussion that if missing one meal can make you hangry, imagine what it must feel like when someone misses multiple meals every day.

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Have you ever been so hungry, it made you angry or hangry? I know I have! In our story today, Hangry Ninja goes too long without eating and blows a lid! Let's enjoy the magic of reading as we read together, "Hangry Ninja" written by Mary Nhin and illustra

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Lulu and the Hunger Monster by Erik Talkin, Illustrated by Sheryl Murray

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Lulu and the Hunger Monster by Erik Talkin, Illustrated by Sheryl Murray

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This realistic fiction story is about a little girl whose family does not have enough food to eat. The story follows her as she tries to do normal everyday activities with the feeling of hunger always looming above her. I feel that the story can be relatable and is a realistic view of what a child who does not have enough food to eat experiences on a daily basis. It also discusses the emotions that she feels and how she battles with feeling hungry but hiding it from those around her.

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Why write Lulu?

What was the inspiration for writing this book?

Author Erik Talkin recounts how his nearly twenty years' experience in fighting hunger in America and his work as CEO of the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County inspired him to write this story of a girl who takes on the Hunger Monster and wins!

How Kids Can Beat the Hunger Monster

Mia, a nine year-old anti-hunger advocate shows us how kids can take down the Hunger Monster!

Kid's guide to running a food bank

What is involved in collecting, storing and distributing millions of pounds of healthy food every year? Find out now!

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Hunger Monster Home | Lulu and the Hunger Monster

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Food Bank CEO Erik Talkin has written a new Children's book, "Lulu and the Hunger Monster" published by Free Spirit 2020. Designed to help kids overcome fears to getting help with food insecurity and hunger issues at school and to build empathy amongst their classmates as they find a way to beat the Hunger Monster.

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On The Farm, At the Market by G. Brian Karas

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On The Farm, At the Market by G. Brian Karas

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This is a fictional story about the different farms that make different foods and how they get to our communities.

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AFBFA - American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture

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On the Farm, At the Market by G. Brian Karas - Recommended by American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture

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This informative book introduces children to both local and urban greenmarkets and paints a warm picture of a strong, interconnected community. On the farm, workers pick vegetables, collect eggs, and make cheese. At the market the next day, the workers set up their stands and prepare for

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The Day the Farmers Quit by Autumn Peguignot, Illustrated by Kate Fallahee

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The Day the Farmers Quit by Autumn Peguignot, Illustrated by Kate Fallahee

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This is a fictional story about what would happen if farmers quit and how that would affect the foods that we eat every day.

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Buy The Day the Farmers Quit By Kate Fallahee. Available in used condition with free US shipping on orders over $10. ISBN: 9781691069026. ISBN-10: 1691069027

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Before We Eat: From Farm to Table by Pat Brisson, Illustrated by Mary Azarian

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Before We Eat: From Farm to Table by Pat Brisson, Illustrated by Mary Azarian

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This is another non-fiction book that briefly goes over the origin of food and how it is transported to local stores.

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Read Before We Eat: From Farm to Table on Epic

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Read Before We Eat: From Farm to Table on Epic

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Instantly access Before We Eat: From Farm to Table plus over 40,000 of the best books & videos for kids.

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How Did That Get in My Lunchbox by Chris Butterworth, Illustrated by Lucia Gaggiotti

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How Did That Get in My Lunchbox by Chris Butterworth, Illustrated by Lucia Gaggiotti

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This non-fiction book discusses how foods are made and processed, and who makes them.

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How Did That Get in My Lunchbox?: The Story of Food (Exploring the Everyday)

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How Did That Get in My Lunchbox?: The Story of Food (Exploring the Everyday) [Butterworth, Chris, Gaggiotti, Lucia] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. How Did That Get in My Lunchbox?: The Story of Food (Exploring the Everyday)

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This video is a success story about a child and their family who experienced food insecurity and they resources they used to get help.

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Poverty and Hunger by Louise Spilsbury & Hanape Kai

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Poverty and Hunger by Louise Spilsbury & Hanape Kai

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This nonfiction picture book defines poverty and the reasons why families might end up in a situation where they cannot afford food or things that they need. It also discusses resources to help those in need.

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With our 24/7 news cycle and constant access to the latest headlines, the world can be a scary place. Now imagine you're a child trying to make sense of it all! What does this news mean? How does it affect me? That's where Children in Our World can help. This beautifully illustrated non-fiction series takes a timely look at today's biggest issues and sensitively explains the crises that dominate the news in an appropriate way for young children. Each book uses relatable comparisons, carefully researched text, and striking illustrations to help kids understand the many difficulties that children just like them face in the world today. Poverty and Hunger discusses the questions "What is poverty and hunger? How do they affect people in countries all over the world?" It helps children begin to understand the way others struggle with these issues and learn about ways they can help. Where issues are not appropriate to describe in words, award-winning illustrator Hanane Kai uses a deft hand to create powerful illustrations that help children visualize the people impacted by poverty, hunger, war, racism, and more. All of the images are sensitively rendered and perfectly suited for younger children. These books are an excellent cross-curricular resource--use them to explore these important issues and tie them into discussions about food, wealth, compassion, empathy, and current affairs. (Ages 6--10)

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With our 24/7 news cycle and constant access to the latest headlines, the world can be a scary place. Now imagine you're a child trying to make sense of it all! What does this news mean? How does it affect me? That's where Children in Our World can help.

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This video describes the importance of food banks and how they help communities and people in need.

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This realistic non-fiction book discusses the foods that children commonly eat, who makes them and/or where they come from. It highlights the importance of farmers and the agricultural industry.

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This video discusses food insecurity and this companies goal to strive for a generation where no child goes hungry.

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Zero Hunger Generation: Main Drivers of Hunger

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1) What is a healthy diet made up of?
2) Do we get the proper nutrition from all meals?
3) Are all nutrients important?
4) Do all nutrient-rich meals look the same?
5) Why is it important to eat different types of foods?

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Lunch from Home by Joshua David Stein, Illustrated by Jing Li

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Lunch from Home by Joshua David Stein, Illustrated by Jing Li

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This is a realistic fiction story about a group of children in school who bring lunches from home that are traditional to their culture. As each child displays their food, the other children make fun of them, so they end up bringing a sandwich for lunch instead. This is another story that deals with cultural acceptance, but across various cultures. It also shows pictures of the food and gives descriptions, which can bring about discussion on how these foods can provide the nutrients needed for a balanced meal even if they look different.

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Skip to Main Content (Press Enter)

-Skipping Stones Honor Award - Multicultural & International - (2023)

-Notable Social Studies Trade Book - National Council for the Social Studies and Children's Book Council (2023)
-Amazon Best Book (2022)

"[ Lunch From Home] touches on positive portrayals of diversity and inclusiveness and appreciating the connections between food, culture, and family traditions; the four kids in this story are based on real people, each of whom is a professional chef, which adds meaningful weight to their experiences. Bright, naturalistic art vibrantly depicts the kids in the classroom and, of course, their delicious-looking lunches." - "[The] meals are lovingly described by Stein and depicted in vibrant color by Li in this epicurean picture book." - "[A] layered tale about peer pressure and cultural pride around the lunch table." - San Francisco Chronicle

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Lunch from Home by Joshua David Stein: 9780593384459 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

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What happens when a child's favorite packed lunch is met with disparaging comments at the school lunch table? In a classroom of sandwiches, four students stand out with their homemade, culturally-specific...

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Let Me Fix You a Plate: A Tale of Two Kitchens by Elizabeth Lilly

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Let Me Fix You a Plate: A Tale of Two Kitchens by Elizabeth Lilly

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This realistic fiction story is inspired by the author’s childhood. It is about a child who goes on a family trip to visit both of her grandparents: one is American, and one is Colombian. The book describes her experiences at each house, the foods they eat, and the culturally specific things they observe. This story is a great way to explore the cultural make-up of different families and how that can be reflected in the food you eat.

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View details about Let Me Fix You a Plate including description, extras, reviews, and purchase links.

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Supportive Text 1: Hunger & Children in America

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Supportive Text 1: Hunger & Children in America

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This supportive text shows facts about child hunger in America that is meant to spark a discussion on ways we can take action.

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Supportive Text 2: What to Expect When Volunteering

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Supportive Text 2: What to Expect When Volunteering

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This supportive text discusses what happens when you volunteer at a food bank.

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Sign Up Online to Volunteer A Day in the Life of a Food Bank of Delaware Volunteer
Every day in the volunteer room is a little bit different than the day before. Volunteers could be asked to do a number of different activities. These activities are determined by the Volunteer Coordinator/Manager as well as the current and future needs of the Food Bank of Delaware. On a normal day in the volunteer room we could be making senior meal boxes, USDA boxes, helping out in the Healthy Pantry Center, creating meal bags for our Backpack Program, creating donated meal boxes, sorting through donations and more!

Before you get here, here are some short explanations of the majority of our daily volunteer activities! (Just to clarify, we do not do all of these every single day. Most volunteer shifts are 1 or 2 of these activities!)
VOLUNTEER ROOM ACTIVITIES
Food Sorting: Volunteers sort food into different food categories, check expiration dates, discard damaged product or products otherwise unfit for human consumption and check recalled items.

USDA Boxes: Volunteers will package USDA items in an assembly line. The Volunteer room is responsible for the creation and supply of USDA boxes.

Senior Meal Boxes: These boxes are designed and designated for the seniors of the State of Delaware. The boxes are lighter than the USDA boxes, making them much easier to handle. Volunteers work in an assembly line to package these boxes.

Donated Meal Boxes: We create boxes with all 10 of our donation sorting categories.

Backpack Program: Volunteers are responsible for helping put together the bags we use for our Backpack Program for children at risk of hunger over the weekend. Volunteerswork in an assembly line to pack these bags.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Healthy Pantry Center: Volunteers will help provide food to our neighbrs in need. Volunteers work with not only the Volunteer Coordinator but also with the Pantry Coordinator Coordinator. Tasks include: registering neighbors in need, stocking grocery carts, light cleaning and more!

Farm: Volunteers assist with a variety of tasks on the farm in Newark. Volunteers help plant, weed, harvest, water and much more!

Mobile Pantry: Help distribute food out in the community at a mobile pantry distribution. Volunteers may pass out food or help with registration.

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Sign Up Online to Volunteer A Day in the Life of a Food Bank of Delaware Volunteer Every day in the volunteer room is a little bit different than the day before. Volunteers could be asked to do a number of different activities.

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This is a non-fiction book that details the MyPlate portions recommended by the USDA. It discusses each group and how much is recommended per day. This book will contribute to background knowledge and bring to light the amount of each food is needed to sustain each day.

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Do you really need to eat your vegetables? Yes, but, luckily, there are so many different kinds. How do you make sense of it all? Learn the basics of MyPlate to help you make good food and activity choices.

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Try It!: How Frieda Caplan Changed the Way We Eat by Mara Rockliff, Illustrated by Giselle Potter

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Try It!: How Frieda Caplan Changed the Way We Eat by Mara Rockliff, Illustrated by Giselle Potter

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This is a historical fiction text about a woman named Frieda Caplan who elevated the fresh produce industry in the U.S. This story introduces Frieda Caplan as a woman who encouraged the people in her town to try new fruits and vegetables.

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Meet fearless Frieda Caplan—the produce pioneer who changed the way Americans eat by introducing exciting new fruits and vegetables, from baby carr…

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The Yuckiest Lunch Box: A Children's Story about Food, Cultural Differences, and Inclusion - by Debbie Min, Illustrated by Wafiq Sehat

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The Yuckiest Lunch Box: A Children's Story about Food, Cultural Differences, and Inclusion - by Debbie Min, Illustrated by Wafiq Sehat

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This is a fictional tale about a Korean American girl named Nari who gets teased when she brings in her traditional lunch at school. In the end, her peers learn about and embrace Nari and her culture. This story deals with stereotypes and cultural acceptance in addition to displaying and discussing common cultural foods.

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The Yuckiest Lunch Box: A Children's Story about Food, Cultural Differences, and Inclusion

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The Yuckiest Lunch Box: A Children's Story about Food, Cultural Differences, and Inclusion [Min, Debbie, Sehat, Wafiq] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Yuckiest Lunch Box: A Children's Story about Food, Cultural Differences, and Inclusion

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Good Enough to Eat: A Kid's Guide to Food and Nutrition - Written and Illustrated by Lizzy Rockwell

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Good Enough to Eat: A Kid's Guide to Food and Nutrition - Written and Illustrated by Lizzy Rockwell

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This is a non-fiction text that goes over the benefits of a healthy diet, the nutrients each food gives you, and what it does for the body. It also discusses the benefits of drinking enough water. It can be used as one of the books to reference when we get into deeper topics like food poverty.

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Good habits should begin early! This book will help kids learn all about the food nutrient groups - carbohydrates, protein, fat, water, vitamins, and minerals. Then they can use this information, as well as that gleaned from the food pyramid to make healthy food choices for their bodies. Lots of information in this book is included in the pictures, especially which foods contain which nutrients. By using pictures and speech bubbles, lots of information is given to children in a format that they ...more

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Good habits should begin early! This book will help kids learn all about the food nutrient groups - carbohydrates, protein, fat, water, vitamins, and minerals. Then they can use this information, as well as that gleaned from the food pyramid to make healthy food choices for their bodies.

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Video: Crash Course - Why is There Uneven Access to Food?

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Video: Crash Course - Why is There Uneven Access to Food?

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This video discusses food distribution, but focuses specifically on why there is uneven access to food in certain places.

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Why is There Uneven Access to Food? Crash Course Geography #42

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Interactive Video Activity: Breakfast From Around the World

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Interactive Video Activity: Breakfast From Around the World

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This activity allows students to see the types of nutritious foods that are eaten internationally and in our own communities.

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Have you ever wondered what people in other parts of the world eat? Take a trip around the world and explore what people in different countries may eat for breakfast.

Let's Start!

GHANA
Continue

UNITED KINGDOM
Continue

LEBANON
Continue

Congratulations

There are so many ways to start your day with breakfast!
What will you eat tomorrow?

Start Over More Confetti!

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Take a trip around the world and explore what people in different countries may eat for breakfast.

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Audio Accompaniment to Book: My Food, Your Food, Our Food

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Audio Accompaniment to Book: My Food, Your Food, Our Food

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The audio goes along with the story My Food, Your Food, Our Food by Emma Carlson Berne. The book and song promote the acceptance of foods from other cultures.

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This chart gives a breakdown of what a well-balanced meal looks like. It also gives details about each category, what to try, and what to avoid.

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Supportive Text 2: Facts & Benefits of Reading a Nutrition Label

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Supportive Text 2: Facts & Benefits of Reading a Nutrition Label

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The supportive text gives teaches children about nutrition labels, why they are important, and how to read them.

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Today's post was written by Theresa Gilson, DTR, Dietetic Intern.

Why do people read nutrition labels? What are the main things you look for when reading a nutrition label?

When grocery shopping, it's difficult to keep in mind all the items you need to focus on when reading a food label. Use the sample Nutrition Facts Label to learn what to look for when choosing what to eat.

Nutrition Food Label Facts:

Nutrition Facts Labels are required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be listed on most packaged foods and beverages.

The label provides detailed information about a food's nutrient content.

Knowing how to read food labels is especially important if you have certain health conditions such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

You can use the label compare two similar foods to decide what would be the healthier choice.

Nutrients to get more of:

These are very important for your health and you should aim for adequate amounts each day of these nutrients.

Nutrients to get less of:

These nutrients are important, but you should only eat them in small amounts each day. These nutrients can increase your risk of certain diseases.

How do you know how much is a lot or a little of a nutrient? The % Daily Value is an easy way to check if a food is high or low in a particular nutrient. Just remember these two numbers:

5% or less is low

20% or more is high.

Do you have any other questions about reading Nutrition Facts Labels?

References:
https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nutrition-facts/NU00293 https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/UCM275396.pdf

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Facts & Benefits of Reading a Nutrition Label | Virginia Family Nutrition Program

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Today's post was written by Theresa Gilson, DTR, Dietetic Intern. Why do people read nutrition labels? What are the main things you look for when reading a nutrition label? When grocery shopping, it's difficult to keep in mind all the items you need to focus on when reading a food label.

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The class will be split into small groups. Using the lunches displayed in the story Lunch from Home, the children will be asked to breakdown the foods using the MyPlate diagram and discuss what nutrients they contain and how they are good for you. They will use the computer to research the different foods and what they are made of (for example: gimbap) and create a google slides presentation for the class.

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Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, Illustrated by Shabazz Larkin

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Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, Illustrated by Shabazz Larkin

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The picturebook biography about about a man named Will Allen turned an empty lot in his community into a place that grew fresh fruits and vegetables for everyone to share. This book discusses a real life example of how food can be distributed in a community as well as a way to take action.

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Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table (Food Heroes, 1)

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Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table (Food Heroes, 1) [Martin, Jacqueline Briggs, Larkin, Shabazz, Allen, Will] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table (Food Heroes, 1)

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This video gives information about farms and other places where foods that we eat every day are produced.

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Foodwise Kids: Where Does Food Come From?

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Engagement 2: Alterverse - The Yuckiest Lunchbox & Let Me Fix You a Plate

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Engagement 2: Alterverse - The Yuckiest Lunchbox & Let Me Fix You a Plate

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Taking the character Nari out of her story (The Yuckiest Lunchbox) and placing her into Let Me Fix You a Plate how would this change the story? What might a visit to her grandmother’s house be like?

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The video shows the day in the life of an American farmer and what it takes to do this job.

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A Day In The Life - Version for Children - Farmer

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Students will create a book talk after reading the book "Try It!: How Frieda Caplan Changed the Way We Eat". In addition to taking a shelfie and using emojis to describe their reaction to the story, they will also pick a food from the story that they would like to try (and describe why), and include their favorite quote for the book.

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Supportive Text 1: 40 Maps That Explain Food in America

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Supportive Text 1: 40 Maps That Explain Food in America

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This website shows a serious of maps that show food distribution in the United States, including where are crops harvested, areas where there are food deserts, and areas where most Americans require public assistance to buy food.

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Where our food comes from, how we eat it, and what we drink to wash it down

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Supportive Text 1: Food Insecurity Statistics

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Supportive Text 1: Food Insecurity Statistics

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This supportive text shares statistics about the amount of people in the U.S. who suffer from food insecurity.

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Where do they live? The image below shows food security status by state (USDA " This fact sheet is divided into four parts: Hunger, Poverty, Causes of poverty and Programs to address hunger and poverty Food Security"). . Click to go to a specific section. Hunger in the United States

There has been a dramatic increase in hunger in the United States in the last three years, 2008, 2009 and 2010. Statistics are only available for 2008. US statistics do not measure hunger, they measure food insecurity and security (explained below).

The Census Bureau statistics establish two grades of food insecurity.

Very low food security In these food-insecure households, normal eating patterns of one or more household members were disrupted and food intake was reduced at times during the year because they had insufficient money or other resources for food. 6.7 million US households (5.7 percent of all US households) had very low food security at some time during 2008, a 39 percent increase from 2007 (4.1 percent of US households). This was the largest increase ever recorded since nationally representative food security surveys were initiated in 1995, as well as the largest year-to-year percentage increase.

The defining characteristic of very low food security is that, at times during the year, the food intake of household members is reduced and their normal eating patterns are disrupted because the household lacks money and other resources for food. On average, households with very low food security at some time during the year experienced it in 7 or 8 months during the year and in 1 to 7 days in each of those months. Ninety-seven percent of those classified as having low food security reported that an adult had cut the size of meals or skipped meals because there was not enough money for food and 27 percent reported that an adult did not eat for a whole day because there was not enough money for food (USDA 2010) . (Click here for more information on very low food security.)

Who are the food insecure? Prevalence rates of very low food security were higher than the 5.7-percent national average for:

Households with incomes below the poverty line (19.3 percent)

Families with children, headed by single women (13.3 percent)

Black households (10.1 percent)

Hispanic households (8.8 percent)

Households in principal cities of metropolitan areas (6.6 percent)

(Hunger is principally caused by poverty so this section will focus on causes of poverty.)
Low food insecurity 10.4 million US households (8.9 percent of households) had low food security in 2008, a 27 percent increase from 2007. These food-insecure households obtained enough food to avoid substantially disrupting their eating patterns or reducing food intake by using a variety of coping strategies, such as eating less varied diets, participating in Federal food assistance programs, or getting emergency food from community food pantries. (See below for more information on food assistance programs.)

Food insecurity Thus, counting those with low and very low food security, in 2008, 17 million households, 14.6 percent of households (approximately one in seven), were food insecure, the highest number ever recorded in the United States. Four million households became food insecure in 2008, the largest increase ever recorded (p. iii, USDA 2008). (To get population figures from family size figures, multiply family size numbers by 2.58, the average family size.)

Food insecure children In 2007, 15.8 percent of households with children were food insecure at some time during the year. In about half of those households, only adults were food insecure, but in 8.3 percent of households with children, one or more of the children were also food insecure at some time during the year. In 0.8 percent of households with children, one or more of the children experienced the most severe food-insecure condition measured by USDA, very low food security, in which meals were irregular and food intake was below levels considered adequate by caregivers ( Nord 2009).

How much more spending on food would it take to make food insecure households food secure (a rough estimate)? The median [a type of average] food-secure household spent 28 percent more on food than the median food-insecure household of the same size and household composition (USDA 2008 ).

Poverty in the United States

In 2009, 43.6 million people were poor, up from 39.8 million in 2008 and 37.3 million in 2007 . The nation's official poverty rate in 2009 was 14.3 percent, up from 13.2 percent in 2008 - the second statistically significant annual increase in the poverty rate since 2004. (Census Bureau 2010a p.13)

The poverty rate in 2009 was the highest since 1994, but was 8.1 percentage points lower than the poverty rate in 1959, the first year for which poverty estimates are available. The number of people in poverty in 2009 is the largest number in the 51 years for which poverty estimates are available.(Census Bureau 2010a p.13)

Between 2008 and 2009, the poverty rate increased for children under the age of 18 from 19.0 percent to 20.7 percent. Thus one in five children in the United States live in poverty. Almost half of these children (9.3 percent) live in extreme poverty. (Census Bureau 2010a p.13)

In 2009, the family poverty rate and the number of families in poverty were 11.1 percent and 8.8 million, respectively, up from 10.3 percent and 8.1 million in 2008. (Census Bureau 2010a p.18)

19 million Americans( 6.3 percent) live in extreme poverty. This means their family's cash income is less than half of the poverty line, or less than about $11,000 a year for a family of four. (Census Bureau 2010a p.19)

16 million low-income households either paid more for rent and utilities than the federal government says is affordable or lived in overcrowded or substandard housing (CBPP 2007).

The percentage of people without health insurance increased to 16.7 percent in 2009 from 15.4 percent in 2008. The number of uninsured people increased to 50.7 million in 2009 from 46.3 million in 2008 (Census Bureau 2010a p. 22)

Causes of hunger and poverty

There are, we believe, three main causes of poverty in the United States: poverty in the world; the operation of the political and economic system in the United States which has tended to keep people from poor families poor, and the culture of inequality and poverty that can negatively influence the behavior of at least some people who are poor.
The culture of inequality and poverty
Poverty in the world There are a lot of poor people in the world. An estimated 2 billion people are poor, and the same amount hungry ( World Hunger Facts) They are much, much, poorer than people in the United States. As can be imagined, people do not want to be hungry and desperately poor. In the world economic system there are two main ways in which relatively poor people have their income increased: through trade, and through immigration. Trade, we believe, is the most important.

Trade. It is important to understand some basic economics. We in the United States live in a rich country, that has a large amount of capital--machinery, etc.--to produce things relative to the amount of labor--people that want to work. Poor countries have a lot of labor, but relatively little capital. There is a basic idea of economics--the factor price equalization theorem--that states that wages in rich countries will tend to go down and increase in poor countries through trade (Wikipedia 2010b). Thus China, with low wages, puts pressure on wages in the United States, as production is shifted to China from the United States. This movement of production from richer to poorer countries is initiated by corporations, not individuals, but it does shift jobs and income to poorer countries and people, and has been doing so for the last 200 years, perhaps most markedly in the 30 years or so. Lower income people in the United States are particularly vulnerable to such shifts as their jobs tend to be the ones that are shifted.

Immigration. A clear strategy for poor people is to go where there are higher paying jobs (often opposed to the alternative of no jobs at all). Thus immigration has been a major response to poverty by people in poor countries.

The operation of the US economic and political system The operation of the US economic and political system has led to certain people/groups being relatively disenfranchised.

The normal operation of the economic system in the United States will create a significant amount of poverty.

First, in a free enterprise economy, there is competition for jobs, with jobs going to the most qualified. On the other hand, there is almost always a significant amount of unemployment, so that not everyone will get a job, with the major unemployment falling on the least qualified. It might be tempting to indentify them as 'unemployable' but what is in fact happening is that the private enterprise system is not generating enough jobs to employ everyone. (Nor is governenment the 'employer of last resort.')

Secondly, the top echelon of business has the power to allocate the profits of the enterprise, and certainly they have allocated these profits to themselves in recent years.

The operation of the US political system, which should address the major problems of its citizens, is to a great extent not focused on fundamental concerns of poor people, but on other concerns.

Military and security expenditure represent half of US federal government discretionary expenditures, much larger than expenditures to assist poor people, and this budgeting is assisted by a strong web of political and financial connections, which has been termed the "military-industrial complex."

Corporations and the rich, through their ability to lobby Congress and the Administration effectively by such means as spending large amounts of money on lobbying efforts and on political campaigns of elected officials have succeeded in establishing their priorities, including tax breaks and subsidies.

The Democratic party, which used to be a party of the 'working class' has now set its sights on the 'middle class' as the target base of voters to which it must appeal.

There are various aspects to the culture of poverty

People are typically segregated by income and often race.

Jobs are low paid and scarce. This can lead to crime as a way of obtaining income, and also to unemployed men not willing to marry, which can play a significant role in developing a cultural model of single parent families.

The lack of income, as described in the poverty section above, creates problems, including poor housing, lack of food, health problems and the inability to address needs of one's children.

As a result of their situation (as well as human fraility), people living in poverty can themselves have patterns of behavior, such as alcoholism or a 'life of crime', that are harmful to them (Goldsmith 2010, Cohen 2010)

United States after-tax income by income level and share of total US income by income level (1979 to 2007/6)

Income level

After-tax income 1979 ($)

After-tax income 2007 ($)

% Share of after-tax income 1979

% Share of after-tax income 2008

Poverty
Programs to address hunger and poverty

Hunger Fifty-five percent of food-insecure households participated in one or more of the three largest Federal food and nutrition assistance programs (USDA 2008, p. iv). They were the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the new name for the food stamp program (Wikipedia 2010), the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) (Wikipedia 2010), and the National School Lunch Program (Wikipedia 2010). In addition there is a significant private effort to feed hungry people through food banks and allied agencies.

SNAP/ Food stamps The Food Stamp Program, the nation's most important anti-hunger program, helps roughly 40 million low-income Americans to afford a nutritionally adequate diet. More than 75 percent of all food stamp participants are in families with children; nearly one-third of participants are elderly people or people with disabilities. Unlike most means-tested benefit programs, which are restricted to particular categories of low-income individuals, the Food Stamp Program is broadly available to almost all households with low incomes. Under federal rules, to qualify for food stamps, a household must meet three criteria (some states have raised these limits):

Its total monthly income generally must be at or below 130 percent of the poverty line, or roughly $1,980 (about $23,800 a year) for a three-person family in fiscal year 2010.

Its net income, or income after deductions are applied for items such as high housing costs and child care, must be less than or equal to the poverty line.

Its assets must fall below certain limits: households without an elderly member must have assets of $2,000 or less, and households with an elderly or disabled member must have assets of $3,000 or less. (Taken from CBPP Food Stamps. Also see Wikipedia SNAP and USDA SNAP)

WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children) WIC provides nutritious foods, nutrition education, and referrals to health and other social services to low-income pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, and infants and children up to age 5 who are at nutrition risk. WIC participants receive checks or vouchers to purchase nutritious foods each month, including infant cereal, iron-fortified adult cereal, vitamin C-rich fruit or vegetable juice, eggs, milk, cheese, peanut butter, dried and canned beans/peas, and canned fish. Other options such as fruits and vegetables, baby foods, and whole wheat bread were recently added. Participants family income must fall at or below 185 percent of the U.S. Poverty Income Guidelines (in 2010, $40,793 for a family of four). Eligibility is also granted to participants in other benefit programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Medicaid, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Children are the largest category of WIC participants. Of the 8.7 million people who received WIC benefits each month in FY 2008, approximately 4.3 million were children, 2.2 million were infants, and 2.2 million were women. The cost of the program is $7.252 billion for WIC in FY2010. WIC is not an entitlement program: Congress does not set aside funds to allow every eligible individual to participate in the program. Instead, WIC is a Federal grant program for which Congress authorizes a specific amount of funding each year for program operations.

National School Lunch Program The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program that provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children from low income families, reaching 30.5 million children in 2008. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for free meals. Those with incomes between 130 percent and 185 percent of the poverty level are eligible for reduced-price meals, for which students can be charged no more than 40 cents. (For the period July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2010, 130 percent of the poverty level is $28,665 for a family of four; 185 percent is $40,793.) Children from families with incomes over 185 percent of poverty pay a full price, though their meals are still subsidized to some extent by the program. Program cost was $9.3 billion in 2008. (USDA School Lunch Program)

Food Banks Food banks established in local communities obtain food principally from growers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers who in the normal course of business have excess food that they cannot sell. Other sources of food include the general public in the form of food drives and government programs that buy and distribute excess farm products, mostly to help support higher commodity prices (See USDA TEFAP). Food banks then distribute food to a large number of non-profit community or government agencies, including food pantries, soup kitchens, and homeless shelters. (Wikipedia Food Banks)

Perhaps the three principal programs that provide income and other assistance for poor people are the minimum wage, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), and the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program. Other important programs, not discussed here, include Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and Social Security and Medicare. (A recent study [ CBPP 2010] estimates that 20 million people:13 million over 65, 1 million children and 6 million disabled or widowed people under 65 were lifted out of poverty by social security benefits.)

Minimum wage The United States enacts a minimum wage (as do some individual states) that tries to establish a floor for what can be paid as a wage by firms. The current minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. In 2008, the official U.S. poverty level for a family of 4 was $21,834 ( Census Bureau " Poverty Thresholds"). With a 40 hour week, a family of 4 with one minimum wage earner would earn $15,080, only 69 percent of the poverty level. The minimum wage level is not indexed to inflation, which means that the real benefits will be eroded by inflation.

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The Earned Income Tax Credit is the mechanism through which, by filing a tax return, low income people and families can receive an income supplement.

The EITC is designed to encourage and reward work. In 2009, the EITC lifted an estimated 6.6 million people out of poverty, including 3.3 million children. The poverty rate among children would have been nearly one-third higher without the EITC. The EITC lifts more children out of poverty than any other single program or category of programs. One way the EITC reduces poverty is by supplementing the earnings of minimum-wage workers. At the minimum wage's current level, such a family can move out of poverty only if it receives the EITC as well as food stamps (CBPP EITC.)

CBPP Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) In 1996, TANF replaced the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program, which had been in existence since 1935. The TANF program provides block grants to states to provide assistance to needy families. States have discretion on how to use the funds. The number of TANF recipients fell substantially in the first five years of the program, in part due to a significant increase in the number of single parents who work, but also due to other factors, such as an inability of families to meet the regulations. Studies of families that stop receiving TANF assistance show that 60 percent of former recipients are employed-typically at poverty-level salaries between $6 and $8.50 an hour-while 40 percent are not employed. Lack of available child care can well keep single mothers from working as required, for example. Other factors that undermine TANF's contribution to people's security include a five-year time limitation on benefits; permitting benefits to legal immigrants only 5 years after establishing legal immigration; and a declining level of real funding for the program (Coven 2005). (see TANF and Wikipedia TANF.)

Bibliography

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) 2010 "Income Gaps Between Very Rich and Evryone Else More Than Tripled In Last Three Decades, New Data Show." http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3220

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). 2007. "Poverty and Hardship Affect Tens of Millions of Americans." http://www.cbpp.org/12-20-07pov.htm

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). 2009. "Policy Basics: Introduction to the Earned Income Tax Credit." http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=2505

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). 2010 "Policy Basics: Introduction to the Food Stamp Program." http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=2226

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). 2009. "Policy Basics: Introduction to TANF." http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=936

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) 2010. "Social Security Keeps 20 Million Americans Out of Poverty: A State-By-State Analysis." http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3260&emailView=1

Cohen, Patricia. 2010. The idea of a 'culture of poverty' makes a comeback Patricia Cohen New York Times

Coven, Martha. 2005. "An Introduction to TANF." The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. http://www.cbpp.org/1-22-02tanf2.htm

Feeding America 2010. Hunger in America 2010. http://feedingamerica.org/faces-of-hunger/hunger-in-america-2010/hunger-report-2010.aspx

Fillion, Kay. 2009. "Fact Sheet for 2009 Minimum Wage Increase." Economic Policy Institute http://www.epi.org/publications/entry/mwig_fact_sheet/

Goldsmith, William H. and Edward J. Blakely. 2010. Separate Societies: Poverty and Inequality in US Cities. Temple University Press

Holt, Eric. 2006. "The Earned Income Tax Credit at Age 30: What We Know." The Brookings Institution. (2006). http://www3.brookings.edu/metro/pubs/20060209_Holt.pdf

Mark Nord, Margaret Andrews, Steven Carlson. 2009. Household Food Security in the United States, 2008 United States Department of Agriculture. Economic Research Service. ERR-49. Access from http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/Err83/ .

Mark Nord. 2009. Food Insecurity in Households with Children: Prevalence, Severity, and Household Characteristics Economic Information Bulletin No. (EIB-56) September 2009 http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/EIB56/EIB56_ReportSummary.html

United States Bureau of the Census. 2010a. Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2009 http://www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/p60-238.pdf

United States Bureau of the Census. 2010b. "Poverty Thresholds." http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/data/threshld/thresh08.html

United States Bureau of the Census 2009. "Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2008." Access at http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/news_conferences/014226.html The pdf file of the report: http://www.census.gov/prod/2009pubs/p60-236.pdf

United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. "Briefing Room: Food Security." See especially " Key statistics and graphics," " Frequency of food insecurity," and " Measuring household food security" http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/FoodSecurity/

United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. Household Food Security in the United States, 2007

United States Department of Agriculture. Economic Research Service. 2010 Household Food Security in the United States, 2008 http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/FoodSecurity/stats_graphs.htm

United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. 2009. "Characteristics of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Households: Fiscal Year 2008--Summary."

United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. 2009. "National School Lunch Program." http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/lunch/AboutLunch/NSLPFactSheet.pdf

United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. 2009. "WIC: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children" http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/WIC-Fact-Sheet.pdf

Wikipedia. 2010. "Earned Income Tax Credit." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earned_income_tax_credit

Wikipedia. 2010. "Factor price equalization." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factor_price_equalization

Wikipedia 2010. "Minimum wage." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_wage

Wikipedia. 2010. "National School Lunch Act." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_School_Lunch_Act

Wikipedia. 2010. "The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_Responsibility_and_Work_Opportunity_Reconciliation_Act

Wikipedia. 2010. "Poverty." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty

Wikipedia. 2010. "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supplemental_Nutrition_Assistance_Program .

Wikipedia. 2010. "Temporary Assistance to Needy Families" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temporary_Assistance_to_Needy_Families

Learn page Hunger Notes Home Page

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Hunger in America: 2011 United States Hunger and Poverty Facts and Statistics

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2010 United States of America Hunger Facts and Poverty Facts and Statistics

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Supportive Text 2: Fast Facts About Agriculture & Food

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Supportive Text 2: Fast Facts About Agriculture & Food

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This supportive text lists facts about food production and agriculture in the U.S. including how much food is produced.

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About 11% of U.S. farmers are serving or have served in the military.

86% of U.S. agricultural products are produced on family farms or ranches.

After accounting for input costs, farmers and ranchers receive only 8 cents out of every dollar spent on food at home and away from home. The rest goes for costs beyond the farm gate: wages and materials for production, processing, marketing, transportation and distribution.

25% of all farmers are beginning farmers (in business less than 10 years); their average age is 46.

Americans enjoy a food supply that is abundant, affordable and among the world's safest, thanks in large part to the efficiency and productivity of America's farm and ranch families.

One acre of land can grow a variety of crops, including 50,000 pounds of strawberries or 2,784 pounds (46.4 bushels) of wheat.

Compared to 2012, the number of farm operators of Spanish, Hispanic or Latino origin is higher, up 13% to 112,451. There also are more Black farm operators (45,508, up 2%) today compared to 2012.

One day's production for a high-producing dairy cow yields 4.8 pounds of butter, 8.7 gallons of ice cream or 10.5 pounds of cheese.

On any given day, one in eight Americans will eat pizza.

Farm and ranch families comprise less than 2% of the U.S. population.

Total U.S. corn yield (tons per acre) has increased more than 360% since 1950.

Of the 10% of disposable income Americans spend on food each year, 46% is for food eaten at home and 54% is for food eaten away from home.

Many Americans celebrate holidays with food, spending a total of nearly $14 billion each year.

One U.S. farm feeds 166 people annually in the U.S. and abroad. The global population is expected to increase by 2.2 billion by 2050, which means the world's farmers will have to grow about 70% more food than what is now produced.

Cattle and calves, corn, and soybeans are the top three U.S. farm products.

Farming accounts for about 1% of the U.S. gross domestic product.

In 2018, $139.6 billion worth of American agricultural products were exported around the world. The United States sells more food and fiber to world markets than we import, creating a positive agricultural trade balance.

About 8% of U.S. farms market foods locally through direct-to-consumer or intermediated sales.

The pounds of feed (grain, forage, etc.) a dairy cow needs to eat to produce 100 pounds of milk has decreased by more than 40% on average in the last 40 years.

Farm programs typically cost each American just pennies per meal and account for less than one-half of 1% of the total U.S. budget.

More than half of America's farmers intentionally provide habitat for wildlife. Deer, moose, birds and other species have shown significant population increases for decades.

Careful stewardship by America's food producers has spurred a 34% decline in erosion of cropland by wind and water since 1982.

Americans throw away about 25% of the food they purchase for at-home consumption.

A whopping 40% of all food grown and produced in the U.S. is never eaten.

About 25% of U.S. farm products by value are exported each year.

Women make up 36% of the total number of U.S. farm operators; 56% of all farms have at least one female decision-maker.

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About 11% of U.S. farmers are serving or have served in the military. 86% of U.S. agricultural products are produced on family farms or ranches. After accounting for input costs, farmers and ranchers receive only 8 cents out of every dollar spent on food at home and away from home.

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Students will read the story The Day the Farmers Quit. Then they will pick three words that describe how they feel after reading this story, encouraging them to think about how they would feel living in the world described in this text if farmers stopped working. This is meant to encourage discussion about food production, and connect to our next section with people who live with this reality every day.

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This supportive text shares facts about the issue of hunger in America and the communities this disproportionally affects.

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However, people in rural communities and the South are often more likely to lack access to enough food. This is because of many factors like poverty, unemployment, and the cost of living,

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34 million people are food insecure in the United States. That's millions of people facing hunger. Learn more about hunger in America.

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Inspired by Manghi Moves a Mountain, the class creates a padlet with realistic ideas of how we can help the community instead of “digging a hole through a mountain”.

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Using the story Lunch Every Day, tell the story from the point of view of the little boy that was getting his lunch taken.

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Students will use Google Slides and retell the story How Did That Get in My Lunch Box using pictures to represent the story.

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Engagement 2: Cultural X-Ray - The Great Food Bank Heist

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Engagement 2: Cultural X-Ray - The Great Food Bank Heist

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The students will be asked to create a cultural x-ray of one character from the story The Great Food Bank Heist using an outline of a body shape with a large heart inside. The outside of the heart should include the characters behaviors, appearance, and other aspects of their identities that others can observe. The inside of the heart should include the values and beliefs that they hold in their hearts that may not be immediately evident to others around them.

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Engagement 2: Emoji Response to Maddie's Fridge

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Engagement 2: Emoji Response to Maddie's Fridge

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Students will use 5 emojis to describe how they felt as they read the story "Maddie's Fridge". Then they will write one paragraph describing why they chose those emojis.

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Engagement 3: Padlet based on Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table

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Engagement 3: Padlet based on Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table

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The students read the book Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table. They will also review the supportive texts 40 Maps That Explain Food in America and Facts about Food and Agriculture. After reading and reviewing both texts, the students will contribute to the classroom padlet by adding something that surprised them after learning about the food produced in the U.S. and reading Farmer Allen.

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Students will organize and plan a canned food drive in the school with the end goal to donate to the local food bank/food pantry.

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Engagement 3: Multimodal Response - Lulu and The Hunger Monster

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Engagement 3: Multimodal Response - Lulu and The Hunger Monster

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The students will be asked to make google slides presentation composed of pictures, words, and quotes that represent the part of the story that resonated with them the most. They will also be asked to include a few sentences describing how the part they chose made them feel and why.