Thursday, January 29, 2009

Standing Together to Help Our Nation and Our World

Like millions of others, I watched President Barack Obama give his inauguration speech this past Tuesday. In a time of such uncertainty, I wanted to hear his plans for our nation and our world. But as the president and founder of Feed The Children, I specifically wanted to know his plans for the hungry and suffering.

Here’s what he said, "To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds."

Regardless of whether you voted for him or not, President Obama has pledged to stand beside you and I and help us reach the world's suffering children. While I’m grateful for his support, I know the government can only do so much. This is a big job and it will take every one of us pulling together to make a real, lasting difference.

As world economies tumble, more people than ever before are finding themselves at the end of their rope. Never before has the work of Feed The Children been more vital to families very survival. If our nation, let alone our world, is going to rally and overcome these dire times, our first step is to reach out and let people know we care. Who knows, someday one of the very children we help might one day be President, if just given the chance to survive and succeed.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Record Unemployment Rates Mean More Children Are at Risk

The question people used to commonly ask their friends is, “How is your job?” Now, more often they’re asking, “Do you still have job?” Last week, the Labor Department announced the unemployment rate had jumped to 7.2 percent in December, a 16-year high. And this week it was reported that in the first week of January, 524,000 people filed for unemployment. That’s a half million more unemployed people IN ONE WEEK!

These days everyone knows of a friend or family member who’s lost their job. It’s truly heart wrenching. But what’s really upsetting is how this is affecting our nation’s children. They are the innocent victims of our sour economy.

Especially hard hit are families who were already barely struggling to get by. More and more I’m hearing about small cities becoming like ghost towns after the local factory closes its door. There’s no work to be found. Some desperate parents must travel 80-100 miles just to find a job. What doesn’t get eaten up in fuel costs is usually barely enough to scrape by. More and more they are turning to local food pantries to feed their children. And all too often, they are being turned away empty-handed because there’s just not enough food to meet the staggering need.

This year, we’re going to have to work harder than ever to reach out to struggling families and hard-hit communities with food and other essentials. Thankfully, we have faithful partners standing with us on the front lines . . . generous friends who believe like I do that no child should go hungry in America!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Amazed By Our Country’s Resolve

Recently we began asking people visiting our website to share their struggles. We want to hear how Americans are coping with recent economic pressures—a slowing economy, rising energy and the global food crisis. The responses we receive, and there are many, demonstrate just how tough things have gotten in our nation.

But what really surprises me is how many emails I get like this:

“Larry, even in these hard times, when I can, I put the dollars I can spare in the envelope and send them to Feed The Children. God is good, and even though times are hard for us, they are even harder for someone else. Luckily, my children are grown so I do not have to face hungry eyes.”

Just like many of us, this couple had to turn down the heat, clip coupons and reduce their spending recently. But they also remember that there are those that are much worse off – mothers and fathers struggling just to put food on the table. So even if they send just a dollar or two, they know that when they add that to the dollar or two of other caring Americans, it adds up and makes a life-changing difference.

It’s caring and compassion like this that will get us through these trying times and making us a stronger nation. After all, that’s the American way!