In the month of September, the Feeding America: U.S. Hunger Relief Organization starts a campaign called Hunger Action Month. This organization helps over 13 million households around the U.S.

gain access to food. 

Hunger Action Month started in 2008 when there was an increase in food poverty nationwide. Over the years, more than 46 million people have gotten the chance to get food from soup kitchens, shelters, and food pantries, all with help from Feeding America.

Over the month of September, people try to raise awareness by participating in events that were made to help end food poverty. On Sept. 28, Feds Walk In Support of Health and Hunger Relief [FedsWISH] hosted a walkathon in Washington D.C to encourage people to do physical activity while also bringing non-perishable food items for donation. They had gotten 7.2 million food donations from this event in 2022. 

“This is something we’ve been pushing that you can do in your own neighborhood, do your walk, and then deliver those resources to food banks…I think it’s just a reminder to not take our foot off the pedal,” Office of Personnel Management Director Kiran Ahuja said. 

Sept. 10 is National Hunger Action Day. People show their support by wearing orange to symbolize hunger relief and posting on social media with the hashtags #HungerActionMonth and #EndHungerNow to encourage others to do the same.

“Feeding America had raised more than $311,908 during Hunger Action Month in September 2023. The total amount raised, with the help of donations and fundraising efforts by SAIC employees, is the equivalent of more than 3.1 million meals for people across the country who face food insecurity, “said Science Applications International Corporation [SAIC].

In 2020, there was an increase in food poverty due to inflation from the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 44.2 million people couldn’t get access to a proper meal in the U.S. Fortunately, companies like the Greater Chicago Food Depository have distributed 117 million pounds of food to people living in Chicago. 

“These numbers are more than statistics. They paint a picture of just how many Americans faced the heartbreaking challenge last year of struggling to meet a basic need for themselves and their children,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said.