As a mother, I spend a good amount of hours of the week worrying about my kids. Are they progressing well in school? Are they forming positive friendships? Do they feel good about themselves? What annoying thing do I do that will be recounted to their spouses one day? These worries are more than enough to keep me on a steady diet of anti-anxiety medication. However, they seem more than manageable when I imagine what it would be like if I had to worry that I wouldn't be able to provide my kids with enough food.
One in four American children -- 17 million -- do not know where their next meal is coming from. This is true despite our having the means to provide nutritious, affordable food for all people in this country.
A Place at the Table is a documentary by Kristi Jacobson and Lori Silverbush, released March 1, 2013. I met Lori back in September at a showbusiness-y function where I anticipated being bored to tears. (My life as a mother leaves me incredibly unaware of cultural and artistic adult pursuits. I don't know a thing about Downton Abbey, but I do know that Kendall chose Jo on Big Time Rush.) When she started telling me about the project she was working on, I knew I had to learn more. Kristi and Lori's documentary is inspiring, gut-wrenching and so incredibly eye-opening.
The film follows the stories of three females struggling with food insecurity: Barbie, Rosie and Tremonica. The film reveals the serious economic, social and cultural implications hunger poses for our nation and the systemic issues that cause inequality of access to healthy food. Barbie is a single Philadelphia mother who grew up in poverty and is trying to provide a better life for her two kids. Rosie is a Colorado fifth grader who often has to depend on friends and neighbors to feed her and has trouble concentrating in school. Tremonica is a Mississippi second grader whose asthma and health issues are exacerbated by the largely-empty calories her hardworking mother can afford.
The film shows that hunger, for children and people as a whole, is a problem that America has solved in the past and can solve again if average Americans demand it. A Place at the Table shows us that it's easier than we think. If many of our lawmakers won't take care of our nation's children, it may be up to us as parents to persuade them otherwise.
The website for A Place at the Table is the first place we can go to learn how to make a difference. Taking action is easy, as we are provided with talking points to take on when calling members of Congress to raise the topic and give reasoning behind our desire for change. Becoming more educated is simple, with A Place at the Table: The Companion Book, sharing insights from those at the front line of solving hunger in America. You needn't look any farther to attain food assistance and knowledge of helpful programs, as hotline numbers and links for help are at your fingertips. And if you are looking for resources, guides and event information, they have you covered.
Find out just how easy it is to have your voice heard, help the hungry and make a difference by visiting the website today. Please be sure to go and see this incredible film in theaters, on iTunes and On Demand today.
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