Helping the Hungry Year-round

Last week, I was so inspired by and thankful to everyone who joined WYCD in supporting the Holy Apostles’ $1,000 for 1,000 ‘Likes’ campaign.

An action as simple as a click helped the New York City soup kitchen to secure sponsor funds needed to continue serving the hungry.

The demand is especially great in the summer months, says Yvonne Cassidy, who manages outreach and social media for Holy Apostles:

“Our daily numbers rise from 1,200 to around 1,300 and sometimes more. The sad reason is that for many children in the city, the meal they get at school is the only one of the day. When schools are out for the summer we see more children and their families here in the soup kitchen.”

Unfortunately, just when traffic increases in the summer months, soup kitchens also see a slump in donations – and maybe that has to do with  when we tend to think of hunger.

For instance, summertime is filled with vacation plans and hopefully some long-needed R&R. During the fall and winter holiday seasons is when people start to think even more about themes like service and thanksgiving. So that’s when food programs see an uptick in funds and volunteering.

But the success of Holy Apostles campaign and how you rallied around the cause was even more exciting for me because I think it shows that, if given more opportunities, people will give time and attention to efforts that fight hunger and help those in need.

As we celebrate the 4^th of July, I’m thankful for the spirit of generosity and service that make this nation great, strengthens communities and allows us to make a difference each day.

Happy 4th!

^{Don't forget to check out whatyoucando for more ways to tackle hunger.}