According to Feeding America, a national network of food banks, one in six people in the United States faces hunger. The causes are complex, and the issue affects people of all neighborhoods, education levels, and family status.

Given the slow growth of our economy in recent years, it is no wonder that hunger has become such a pervasive problem and that food banks are struggling to accommodate the number of new clients that have come to them for help.

 Lots of people care about hunger, but how can we really make a meaningful difference for such a large issue?  Here are five ideas:

 If you’ve got Two minutes

1. Make a donation of much-requested, rarely donated milk to Feeding America Food Banks by participating in The Great American Milk Drive.

1. Tell your network you care about fighting hunger on social media. Follow your local food bank or tell your friends what you are doing to fight hunger.
2. Invite a teacher or school administrator you know to apply for funds to support school meal participation. School meals are a great resource for families facing food insecurity.

If you’ve got Two hours

1. Contact your local food bank to find out if they have any volunteer opportunities for sorting food, connecting with local agencies, or even helping with administrative work like graphic design or newsletter editing.

Our Must Be The Milk tent at a recent Walk Against Hunger where we requested donations for The Great American Milk Drive

 2. Participate in a local Walk Against Hunger. Many food banks host walk events in the spring. Must Be The Milk, with support from the dairy farm families of Connecticut, was onsite at the Walk Against Hunger events in Bridgeport and Hartford, Connecticut the past two weekends. What an inspiration to see so many people who care about hunger come out to raise awareness about this important issue! How will you fight hunger in your community today?