CONTENT PROVIDED BY AARP FOUNDATION
More than 10 million older adults struggle every day with limited or no regular access to affordable, nutritious food, according to AARP Foundation. AARP Foundation continues to put a spotlight on hunger through its "Summer of Service" meal packing challenges.
The challenge is to pack 500,000 meals for adults age 50 and older who are in need. To meet this challenge AARP Foundation is hosting meal packing festivals across the country. Meals packed at the event, which includes music and entertainment, are delivered to local food banks to be distributed to the local community.
The challenge comes to Denver on July 9 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at University of Denver.
Along with the meal pack events, AARP Foundation promotes 30 simple actions you can take to combat hunger in your community.
9 action items:
Take the Hunger Pledge. Join AARP Foundation and its supporters in signing a pledge to help end hunger and make a difference in the lives of people in your community.
Lead a grocery store tour. Help families learn to cook and shop for healthy, affordable, delicious meals by leading a grocery store tour in your community. AARP Foundation is piloting programs in Tennessee and Mississippi to help families learn to eat well on a budget. Visit DrivetoEndHunger.org to learn about getting involved.
Step behind the wheel. If you know of seniors in your community who are home-bound or don’t drive often, offer to drive them to the supermarket or ask if they would like for you to grocery shop for them.
Deliver meals. Volunteer to pick up and deliver meals to hungry seniors as part of Meals on Wheels. Click here to find your closest MOW group.
Teach a cooking class. Put your cooking and nutrition expertise to good use and volunteer to teach a course in Share Our Strength's Cooking Matters program. The program guides participants through the process of making nutritious and cost-effective meals for their families. Click here to sign up.
Start (or support) a Campus Kitchen in your community. Campus Kitchens partners with high schools, colleges, and universities to share on-campus kitchen space, recover food from cafeterias and engage students as volunteers who prepare and deliver meals to the community. Get started here.
Start (or participate in) a community garden. Community gardens in urban areas and food deserts allow participants to cultivate healthy and affordable fresh fruits and vegetables on unused land, while providing necessary food for people in need. Get tips.
Share a meal. Invite someone who is 50 or older to share a meal at your home or theirs, or take them out to eat at their favorite restaurant. Something as simple as enjoying a meal in the company of friends and family can help combat senior loneliness and isolation.
Come up with your own ideas. Be a trailblazer. Come up with your own ideas on how to effect change and feed the hungry, whether it's in your own community or across the country.
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