Imagine a country in such dire straits that half of its children wouldn’t get meals without government help. You may immediately have thought of some Third World country, but the startling fact is that almost half of the children in this country will be on food stamps at some point in their childhood. The number is even more shocking when you focus on African American children: 90 percent of them will be on food stamps at one point. Last week, a study was released that looked at 30 years of national data and warned that these numbers could get pushed even higher if the recession continues.

The study also cautioned pediatricians that they need to be on the lookout for illnesses related to malnutrition. That warning extends even to pediatricians in so-called “nice” neighborhoods, because the economic downturn has broadened the types of people who have had to turn to food stamps to feed their families. We know from a study funded by our foundation that children who eat breakfast perform in school better and have fewer hunger-related problems such as dizziness, lethargy, stomachaches and earaches. It’s not a stretch to say that pediatricians might start seeing an increase in these symptoms in a broader spectrum of their patients as economic woes spread.

In this type of economic climate, food banks play a crucial role in filling the gaps. This is why Sodexo founded and continues to sponsor our Helping Hands Across America program, a  month-long effort that encourages our employees and customers to collect non-perishable food items to fight hunger in their own communities. The effort culminates today – November 12 – when we all try to set a new world record for the “largest food drive by a non-charitable organization in a 24-hour period.” The Guinness Book of World Records will determine whether we set the record, but the current record to beat is 510,000 pounds of food collected.

The challenge to beat the record is a fun one, but the intent behind it is much more serious – to bring attention to the problem of hunger in this country, and to engage as many people as possible in trying to stop it

You can follow our progress or get involved by becoming a fan on Facebook or following @STOPhungerNov12 on twitter.

And, of course, you can help by bringing nonperishable food to your community food bank!

Carol Marquart, HR Manager, Berry Plastics/Goshen, Indiana

As I sit in my office at Berry Plastics located in Goshen, Indiana, I see people come up and read the sign on our door: “Currently not accepting applications”.  These people walk away with their heads facing the ground. Our county has a 19% unemployment rate.  You can’t help but ask yourself, “What can we do to make a difference?”  Every one of our employees either has a spouse, friend, neighbor or family member that has lost their jobs in this ailing economy. One day in early June an employee, Dave Riggs, came to me and said “I have an idea.   Let’s plant sweet corn in our seven acres of empty land and donate it to the food banks to help them feed the unemployed.”

I was amazed.  Dave and I presented the idea to our Gung Ho Team. I immediately contacted Tom Kercher, owner of Sunrise Orchards.

Tom said, “That will be a lot of sweet corn, but why not, let’s do it.” 

Kercher’s Sunrise Orchard, T & T Fertilizer and Berry Plastics united to feed the hungry. 

On June 22nd the seeds were planted.

Employees watched as the corn began to grow.  Instead of complaining that it was raining, we rejoiced as the corn field was being nourished with the blessings of the rainfalls.

Earlier this fall, Dave’s idea became reality.  The harvest began at 8:00AM and the first food bank was here at 9:00.  There were more than 15 food banks and charities that arrived in cars, pickup trucks, box trucks and semis. 

More than 108,000 ears of corn ended up on the plates of the hungry.

Berry Plastics supplies cater ware, cutlery and trash bags to Sodexo.  It is companies like Sodexo and Berry Plastics that help inspire others to make a difference.