What is hunger? The Oxford dictionary has defined it as a feeling of discomfort or weakness caused by a lack of food and nutrition, coupled with the desire to eat.
As human beings, we have all experienced hunger. We all know what it feels like to try and focus on a task when we are hungry. Many of us are guilty of becoming irritable if we have not eaten. And yet with hunger being universally acknowledged to be a barrier to success, it is still a problem faced by millions of people around the world, and by countless people in our community.
As human beings, we have all experienced hunger. We all know what it feels like to try and focus on a task when we are hungry. Many of us are guilty of becoming irritable if we have not eaten. And yet with hunger being universally acknowledged to be a barrier to success, it is still a problem faced by millions of people around the world, and by countless people in our community.
Recently, Young Ambassadors from the Henrik Lundqvist foundation had the privilege of meeting with representatives from the Food Bank for New York City to gain a better understanding of why hunger is such a problem for those affected by it, and why it is so difficult to overcome.
Through interactive roleplaying activities, all Young Ambassadors in attendance were able to experience why so many in our community have difficulty accessing the programs that were created to eliminate hunger.
A common misconception is that with SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program) benefits and food pantries, healthy, nourishing food is easily accessible to anyone who wants it. However, food pantries are often closed, or simply do not have enough food to accommodate the high demand. Unfortunately, the benefits provided by the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program often fall short of providing meaningful assistance to those who need it. This is where the Food Bank of New York
City comes in.
City comes in.
The Food Bank of New York City is New York City’s largest hunger-relief organization and has been fighting food insecurity since 1983. Today, FBNYC distributes food to over 1,000 charities and provides nutritional education to thousands of people to empower people to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Organizations like the Food Bank of New York City coordinating with the Henrik Lundqvist Foundation are vital to educating people about the underlying and often unseen issues that make overcoming hunger so challenging.
Written by 2022 HLFYA Robert Yardley
