In the U.S. alone, roughly 42.2 million people do not have access to adequate, nutritious food. Many of these are children. That represents an enormous waste of potential and massive problems for our society.
We all know how important it is to invest in education. But that investment cannot pay off if children are not ready to learn – and hunger is one of the biggest obstacles to learning. In fact, a full 1 in 5 children in America relies on public school breakfast and lunch programs to get fed. But these alone are not enough, as many of these children go hungry over the weekend, during school holidays, and during the Summer.
Anyone who has ever shaken their head and wondered “what happened to today’s youth?” should be seriously invested in food insecurity.
In the U.S. alone, roughly 42.2 million people do not have access to adequate, nutritious food. Many of these are children. That represents an enormous waste of potential and massive problems for our society.
We all know how important it is to invest in education. But that investment cannot pay off if children are not ready to learn – and hunger is one of the biggest obstacles to learning. In fact, a full 1 in 5 children in America relies on public school breakfast and lunch programs to get fed. But these alone are not enough, as many of these children go hungry over the weekend, during school holidays, and during the Summer.
Anyone who has ever shaken their head and wondered “what happened to today’s youth?” should be seriously invested in food insecurity.
Poverty is certainly a cause of food insecurity, among other things. But while poverty is a really difficult and complex problem to solve, food insecurity is a (relatively) smaller issue where we can make some positive strides.
Food insecurity is bigger than just hunger, however. Food insecurity can happen when there is access to food that is filling, but not nutritious. It can happen when a family can afford food but live too far away to get the food they need easily.
It can happen when food is available at some times, but not others. In short, “food insecurity” is a much broader problem that includes issues of access, nutrition, and consistency as much as hunger.
The Happy Tooth Foundation is committed to being a good steward of the money we receive.
Donations primarily go to:
- Helping schedule, sponsor, and organized food-insecurity related events and outreach
- Developing and sponsoring Summer Triathlon Camps for at-risk youth
- Providing low-cost dental services to at-risk families
Believe it or not, many athletes care about food insecurity and related issues. Some come from backgrounds where food insecurity was a reality. Others understand the loss of talent that happens when some communities are left to struggle with it.
The Happy Tooth Foundation helps to sponsor these athletes, who then turn around and “pay it forward” by volunteering and acting as ambassadors for the foundation. Their activities help raise awareness of the issue, drive donations, and set good examples for children and families in at-risk communities.