HOUSTON…On any given day, 35,000 children, women and men of all ages suffer with the torment of hunger.  More than 932,000 southeast Texans are food insecure, meaning they are not sure if they will be able to eat tomorrow.  In fact, a recent study shows that Texas has the highest rate of childhood food insecurity for children under age 18 (22.1 percent).  To bring awareness to the important issue of hunger, the Houston Food Bank and food banks and hunger relief agencies across the country have designated September as Hunger Action Month.

Here in Houston, the theme for the month is HUNGER BITES, which has a double meaning:  one, hunger is a bad thing, and two, that it has a painful, biting effect on those who suffer from it.

Previously, food banks designated a Hunger Awareness Day, but the nationwide effort has been expanded to place even more emphasis to the issue of hunger, its causes and solutions.  “The word ‘action’ has been added to drive home the message that we must take action, not only as a community but as individuals as well, to eliminate hunger in our communities,” says Brian Greene, president/CEO of Houston Food Bank.  In any given week, the Houston Food Bank provides assistance to as many as 80,800 differentpeople through its network of partner agencies.

During September, the food bank will work to not only raise awareness and understanding of hunger, the food bank and hunger relief agencies across the nation are rallying together to motivate communities to take action against this preventative issue.  Among the activities planned are:

·         Citywide Food Fair ~ Wednesday, September 16, 2009

One of the Houston Food Bank’s most important programs is Food Fairs, mobile food pantries that go directly into neighborhoods of great need to distribute food and other essentials in a farmers market-type setting.   In honor of Hunger Action Month, a special citywide Food Fair is being planned for Wednesday, September 16 from 10 a.m. to noon, with a goal of distributing a half-million pounds of food on this day. 

Food Fairs will be held at up to 30 sites throughout Houston, at hunger relief agencies that are partner agencies of Houston Food Bank.  The main location for this Food Fair will be at Christian Community Service Center @ St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 3471 Westheimer.  A press conference will be held at this location at 10 a.m.

·         Happy Hours for Hunger

During the month, happy hour events will be held at several establishments in Houston, including Beavers, The Harp, Poison Girl, Absinthe, to name a few.  These events are easy ways for Houstonians to help fight hunger with a donation of money or nonperishables, depending on the individual events.  A complete list of dates and locations will be available beginning in September at houstonfoodbank.org.

·         Be an Advocate for Hunger!

This fall, the US Congress is scheduled to rewrite some of the key programs affecting the nutrition of Texas children – and that is very important to the Houston Food Bank!  A major step to ending childhood hunger will be to increase funding by at least $1 billion in the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization. This legislation includes all four child nutrition programs: School Breakfast and National School Lunch Programs, Summer Food Service Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman, Infants and Children (WIC). Citizens are encouraged to write to their elected officials to ask them to help fight hunger in Texas, because Hunger Bites.  Sample letters can be found at houstonfoodbank.org.

For more information on Houston Food Bank and Hunger Action Month, visit houstonfoodbank.org or call 713-223-3700.