Local 10, Publix teaming up for Food For Thought

More than 11 million kids live in hunger; number expected to grow

PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – People are going to bed hungry every night. Children are waking up in millions of U.S. homes without access to nutritious food. It’s a frightening reality for those families facing hunger. 

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, in 2018, more than 11 million U.S. households were food insecure. This number dates from before the coronavirus pandemic. Today, according to No Kid Hungry, a national campaign created to address problems of hunger and poverty, projections show that 18 million kids could face hunger this year.

In South Florida, nearly 25 percent of school age children are food insecure. This means they do not have reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable nutritious food.

WPLG-Local 10 and Publix Super Markets are teaming up to address this growing crisis. Through Food For Thought, we are raising awareness about the plight of hunger affecting our schools, neighborhoods and communities. 

Food insecurity can have a wide impact. Some of the most common effects of food insecurity among children include serious health complications, the inability to learn and grow and behavioral issues. 

If you’d like to find out more or get involved, the list below connects you with some local nonprofits that offer programs to combat hunger and serve children in our community.

Feeding South Florida

954-518-1818

Feedingsouthflorida.org

Joshua’s Heart Foundation

305-944-4452

joshuasheart.org

Miami-Dade Office of Community Engagement

305-995-1367

Engagemiamidade.net

As part of Food For Thought, beginning in September, Local 10 and Publix Super Markets will engage in outreach projects across South Florida.  Stay tuned!


About the Author:

Mayte Padron Cordones is an Emmy-award winning journalist and the director of WPLG's Community Relations Department, overseeing the station's outreach initiatives to benefit and strengthen the South Florida community.