The World is Hungry
Matthew Gardiner
Strayer University
Professor Daniel Burrello
ENG115060VO: English Composition
August 4, 2013

The world is hungry. In 2012 it was estimated “that nearly 870 million people, or one in eight people in the world, were suffering from chronic undernourishment.” (World Hunger, 2013) That comes out to almost 13% of the entire world. But here in our own backyard it’s even worse. Here in the richest country in the world we see 1 in 6 people go without enough food. (Feeding America, 2012)
Even worse than not having enough food, many Americans go without easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables. In December 2010, over 8% of all American households had difficulty accessing affordable fresh fruits and vegetables. (Food Research and Action Center, 2011) While this is nearly 3% less than numbers posted in 2008, America is still a long way away from winning this fight. Below is a graph showing the positive changes as the economy has gained more stability:

This is what this organization is here to change. Through programs to help infants, children, adults and seniors, this organization is looking to do what we can to abolish hunger and give families the opportunity to enjoy a healthy meal.
One of our programs is a sponsorship program for infants and children where people can donate for the specific purpose of feeding people in the households they choose. This program is called Be Healthy, Not Hungry. It is designed to help low income families cover that gap between a “good enough” meal and a healthy meal. The economy plays a huge role in this fight against hunger and it’s making it harder for those fruits and vegetables to be affordable. According to Feeding America, 46.2 million people live in poverty, but even more people live in food insecure households. In 2011, 50.1 million Americans had trouble getting enough food. Out of all the children in America, 16.7 million, or over 22%, lived in these households. (Feeding America, 2012)
The Be Healthy, Not Hungry program is made to further supplement already existing benefits in individual states. Because of the economy and the rising prices of food, not everyone can afford to eat a nutritional meal on a regular basis. In New Jersey, where the average meal costs $2.67, (Food Bank of South Jersey, 2012) they have a program called SNAP. This program gives an allowance based on household income and family members. On average, the program pays about $4 per day, per person. (Food Research and Action Center, 2011) Our goal is to raise enough money per household to put them into a better position to have at least one daily meal with nutritional value in a 3-meal-a-day diet. Without the ability to afford a nutritious meal, children face extreme health issues. In 2007, 16.4% of children in low-income households were classified as obese and 15.3% as overweight. Here is a graph showing the percentages of children in America who are obese or overweight by race:

The goal of Be Healthy, Not Hungry is to help reduce the risk of obesity in children. When children are obese it causes many physical and mental issues that could be long term. Especially in children, the negative effects are magnified. Some of the risks it presents, according to the Center for Disease Control, are:
High blood pressure and high cholesterol, which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease…Increased risk of impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, breathing problems, such as sleep apnea, and asthma, joint problems and musculoskeletal discomfort, fatty liver disease, gallstones, and gastro-esophageal reflux (Center for Disease Control, 2012)
But among all of the physical damage it can cause, for most children the worst effects are the bullying and being rejected by their peers, which could eventually lead to low self-esteem, often carrying into adulthood. (Center for Disease Control, 2012) Making healthier options more affordable and