When I was little, the days before Thanksgiving were spent on errands, dropping off food to the elderly, driving along west to east along 8 Mile Road. We weren’t original, we were following family tradition of my grandmother who was one of the first members in the Detroit chapter of Meals on Wheels. We volunteered other times of year, but the notion that one in eight Americans go hungry always seems particularly poignant in the season in which gluttony and charity converge.
It’s infuriating to think of people not having enough to eat, but the reality is that nearly 36.2 million Americans go hungry every day, according to the US.Department of Agriculture, and 49 million Americans, including nearly 17 million children, are food insecure.
Several organizations are coming to the aid of this option, which are important with the increased need. The organization World Hunger Year approaches the problem by working with the music community to raise funding and awareness. This week, was WHY’s annual Hungerthon in which a wide range of New York radio stations raises funds by auctioning off items donated by musicians. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, James Taylor, ZZ Top, Eric Clapton, Randy Travis and Sting donated to this year’s auction. The auction included a signed photograph from Henry Diltz, courtesy of the Morrison Hotel Gallery, A signed guitar from Sarah McLachlan, courtesy of Nettwerk Management. signed guitar from The Counting Crows, courtesy of The Artists Organization, an autographed photo and signed copy of the new album ‘Battle Studies’ from John Mayer, courtesy of Mick Management.
Also, benefiting WHY is the 29th Annual John Lennon Tribute on Friday, Dec. 4 at Symphony Space in New York City. Confirmed performers including Detroit native Bettye LaVette, to Across The Universe’s, Dana Fuchs, plus acclaimed artists, Joan Osborne, David Bromberg, Dan Bern, Lucy Kaplansky, Sonya Kitchell, Rich Pagano of the Fab Faux, The Kennedys, web sensation Chris Bliss, Wendy Osserman Dance and MAD Magazine’s Joe Raiola. Donate to Hungerthon directly, and receive an Imagine There’s No Hunger gift, at http://www.hungerthon.org
Feeding America helps explain how this problem occurs domestically with a hunger quiz. The James Beard Foundation gave the organization the Humanitarian of the Year Award for its impact in curbing hunger, serving 25 million Americans over 2.5 billion pounds of food annually in 63,000 local charitable agencies and 70,000 programs. Formerly known as America’s Second Harvest.
Definitely something to think about on a day that’s all about savoring food, and something to remember throughout the year.
WHY on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WHYhunger
WHY on Twitter: http://twitter.com/hungerthon
