Did you know…

• One in five Arizonans live below the federal poverty line.
• 82,000 households in Maricopa County don’t know where their next meal is coming from (they experience chronic hunger.)
• Nearly half of the households struggling to put food on the table have children; 20 percent are senior citizens
• There is a plan to help end hunger for our community.

So what can you do to help?

Valley of the Sun United Way, the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation, Association of Arizona Food Banks and numerous community partners’ Unite to End Hunger Plan provides unique opportunities for each of us to get involved. Most importantly, now is the perfect time to join the End Hunger Team because September is Hunger Action Month.

We can make a difference in our local community today. In fact, our Hunger Action Month calendar includes something meaningful we can do every day this month to contribute to the cause.

Here are 5 examples of ways to participate:

1. Double Your Groceries
   Go to the grocery store and buy two of everything you get for your family. Donate the duplicate items to a local food bank. See more.
2. Plan to Volunteer
   Sign up to volunteer on Saturday, September 21 at one of United Way’s food bank partners. Register at vsuw.org/hunger.
3. Pay it Forward
   Pay for the person’s meal behind you in line at a restaurant or coffee shop, and pass them the End Hunger Team card you can download at vsuw.org/hunger.
4. Consider the Leftovers
   After dinner, put what your whole family doesn’t eat on a plate and see if it could feed one or more people. Identify ways you can waste less or share more.
5. Walk in the Shoes of Others
   Many hardworking families struggle to make ends meet. Could you live off $4.25 food budget per day? Watch this video, at vsuw.org/hunger and see how locals recently walked in the shoes of others and share it with your friends.

Check out the Hunger Action Month calendar for 25 additional ways we can unite to end hunger this September.

While this is a complex issue – if we rally together and take small steps each day – we can transform individual lives and our entire community.

What is your favorite idea?

Lora Reid is Community Impact Manager for Valley of the Sun United Way focused on ending hunger in Maricopa County. Lora has 25 years experience in program and project management and training within non-profit organizations, and is a Gen Next Nonprofit Leadership Academy alumna.