Please Sir, Can I have Some More?

The fact of the matter is that there are still more than two million New York City residents across the five boroughs at risk of hunger. Despite the city’s emergency food programs (EFP’s) – approximately 900 soup kitchens and food pantries in New York - providing food to half of them, there is still a dire food shortage.

A couple of other statistics:

• Approximately 500,000 city residents are eligible but not receiving food stamps, many of whom may be turning to EFPs instead. Less than one-half (46 percent) of all EFP participant households are enrolled in the federal Food Stamp Program.
• Of all EFP participant households, about one-third (34 percent) choose between food and housing, about one-third (34 percent) choose between food and utilities, and more than one-fifth (22 percent) choose between food and medical care.

I bring you attention to The Food Bank’s NYC upcoming hunger awareness Go Orange campaign taking place on October 15-19. The campaign is calling upon all New Yorkers’ to do what they can do to help raise funds for the holiday season and the goal is to raise one million meals.

This year, city landmarks, media partners, corporations, musicians, restaurants, supermarkets, retail stores and more are Going Orange throughout the city to help raise these funds and awareness for hunger relief. New York’s skyline will also Go Orange including its most famous landmarks and towers such as The Empire State Building.

For further information about how to participate and take action: http://www.foodbanknyc.org/

A little Orange anyone?

Source: Hunger Safety Net 2004, Hunger in America