Starting January 25th, we at United Way of King County are going to host Hunger Action Week – a one week campaign to help raise awareness around hunger in our community.

It’s a sad fact but many of our neighbors are going hungry.  Food banks lines have been consistently high since the recession hit and studies show that 1 in 8 Americans don’t have enough to eat.

It’s very easy to forget how big of a problem hunger really is.  We want to bring to the forefront of people’s minds: Hunger is a real problem and there are ways you can step up and make a difference about it!

You can be updated throughout Hunger Action Week about how you can get involved via email!  Just sign up on the form below!

1. Take our Hunger Challenge
Can you eat 3 healthy meals a day with only $7?  That’s the sad reality for people who rely solely on food stamps to survive.

We created this challenge as an exercise in empathy.  This isn’t about pretending to know what living hungry is like — instead, it’s a challenge that will get you thinking about hunger and poverty in your everyday life.

We encourage you to join the hundreds of others people taking the challenge, share your thoughts, and encourage others to try it as well.

You can sign up here!

2. Volunteer
Serve a meal, stock a food pantry – find hundreds of ways to get involved through our volunteer site!

My personal suggestion is that you become a Bridge to Basics volunteer!  Bridge to Basics volunteers help people sign up for benefits like food stamps so that they don’t have to choose between food and rent.  You can sign up for that here.

3. Share
Let us know what you think about Hunger Action Week and tell everyone you know about it as well!

We are on Twitter at @HomelessKC and @VolunteerKC, plus we have a Facebook page!
You can get started with your sharing right now!

Promote Hunger Action Week on Facebook

Tweet about Hunger Action Week

4.  Advocate
Let your voice be heard!  Participate in Hunger Action Day in Olympia on January 29th.  Can’t make it to Olympia?  Then sign a petition or contact your legislator letting them know that hunger in King County is unacceptable!

5.  Give money to our Response for Basic Needs
For us, hunger is a very important issue (if you can’t already tell).  United Way of King County strategically doles out nearly $3 million in funding to over 40 food banks and meal programs.

For Hunger Action Week, we are raising money for an awesome program: The “Yes We Can” project.  “Yes We Can” will rent unused capacity at a south Seattle cannery.

Through the cannery, fresh foods that might otherwise go to waste will be canned and sent to area food banks!  The project is a partnership with us, the South King County Food Coalition, and Northwest Harvest.  Seriously how cool is that?

So get excited, people!  Hunger Action Week is coming soon and everyone should get involved!

If you like photography and great causes, then I have a great deal for you.

As part of their giving campaign, over 200 Microsoft employees came together to create a fine art photography book where all the profits go to United Way of King County.  The book is offered for purchase at the cost of printing plus $25.00. This additional amount is contributed directly to United Way in your name and is fully tax deductible as a charitable contribution.

I highly recommend that you visit their Blurb page and preview the book.  All the photos are really, really incredible (the photo on this post is from the book!).  Take a look and consider supporting a great cause!