Many countries in the world have been hit hard by droughts, storms and/or famine. Images of Haiti and the most recent Japanese earthquake compel us to donate money and send relief and food aid to those countries. Hunger is not only an international issue, but a problem that is also endured here in the United States.

According to a new report from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) an astonishing 15 percent of US households, 17.4 million families or about 50 million people, lacked the financial means to buy sufficient food last year. The study also found that more than a third of these households, with as many as one million children, were skipping meals routinely.

The number of families classified as “food insecure” according to the USDA has more than tripled since 2006. Why does America, the largest producer of agricultural and food products on the planet have a food insecurity problem? For most Americans the answer is simple: lack of money. The poverty rate has risen sharply over the past three years and an estimated 50 million people are now living below the official poverty line.

Founded in 1981 as the Daily Bread Food Bank, Feeding South Florida has been working to help those Americans who are food insecure. They do this by soliciting food donations from a variety of sources such as farmers, processors, grocers and restaurants among others. They then distribute it through a network of not-for-profit agencies such as daycare centers, homeless shelters, residential homes for the physically and mentally challenged, assisted living facilities for the elderly, youth programs, soup kitchens and emergency food pantries.

We proudly support Feeding South Florida by donating food and beverages to this organization each and every year. Feeding South Florida distributes approximately 1.8 million pounds of food each month to hungry South Floridians, including children and the elderly, the unemployed and the working poor, the disabled, the homeless, and victims of natural disasters, illness and violence.

Feeding South Florida empowers other South Florida not-for-profit organizations to assist people in need and improve their lives by providing food and other grocery products and by educating and engaging our community to fight hunger and poverty. This is a cause we strongly believe in. If you would like to help Feeding South Florida, please visit them at http://www.feedingsouthflorida.org.