The Capital Area Food Bank’s Face Hunger™ program has helped bring community groups together for honest discussions about hunger, debunk some myths, and generate energy around getting families the food they need. Even though we receive positive feedback from community groups, we often wonder if we are getting it right.
This past December, we invited community members who’ve experienced hunger firsthand, as well as some of our food assistance partners, to the Four Corners Campus of Silver Spring United Methodist Church. None of the individuals had ever participated in Face Hunger, so we wanted to know if we were telling the right stories.
We started the morning by running through the simulation and discussion as usual. Then everyone sat down to share their reaction. All the participants responded that the “simulation was right on point.”
The conversation evolved into a rich discussion about the very real challenges in the simulation from getting healthy food on the table, to the difficulties of applying for assistance programs and only having access to a convenience store to buy groceries. The group agreed that you can’t look at a person and know their situation; and that compassion and understanding without judgment are critical to supporting struggling families.
With an issue as big as hunger, affecting 1 in every 6 Americans, there’s no way to tell the whole story in an hour. Face Hunger, however, is a great way to get a taste of the daily challenges faced by those struggling to feed their families and think about ways we can all help. For more information about the program, look at our Face Hunger page or contact Amanda Melara at amelara@capitalareafoodbank.org.