We are teenagers working to make a difference in atrocity of hunger. 6000 tons of food go to waste every day, and 40 million tons go to waste a year, just in American restaurants. The Food For Thought Project addresses the lack of the basic necessity of food and sustenance especially in low-income communities with a high level of poverty. We do this by beginning "one for me, one for you" programs
in restaurants to purchase goods at wholesale cost to deliver to shelters in need, collecting non-perishable items at school lunches for donations, and starting community wide programs to donate food and change the mindset of those with the power to give. It is our opinion that those who are ignorant, will not give, but those that truly understand the inequality, will have a feeling of empathy and will seek to do their part to help. In addition to the donations, Food For Thought team members donate their time and energy to shelters in the area, and serve the food they worked so hard to collect. The Project’s goal is to advocate change, educate those as to why change is necessary, facilitate said change, and of course participate in all steps of the process. Food "4" Thought
The Food For Thought Project has four major goals: Advocate, Educate, Facilitate, and Participate. Advocate: Be the voice for change in your community. Speak up and explain that what you are living with is not just; the very existance of somethng does not mean it is inevitable. Educate: Do your absolute best to learn as much as you can about subjects that you are passionate about. For myself this would include teaching, social action, and the answer to so many questions of why, and why not. There is so much I do not understand, and I know I never will, but I do know I can teach others what I do know, and become a voice for change of atrocities like hunger that have existed for far to long. Facilitate: "If not you than who; if not know than when" (Hilel)? The original meaning of this quote was that you must be for yourself now, as no one else but you, will stand up for you, and puting off things for too long leads to indifference. The quote "out of site, out of mind" absolutely holds true to this idea but here is where Hilel and I begin to disagree. If we are not for others now, who will be there for us when we need them later? "Lean on me, when your not strong, I'll be your friend, I'll help you carry on. For, it won't be long, until I am going to need somebody to lean on" (Withers). We must help others by facilitating change for their betterment; in the short term, it may not serve any benefit, but long term, when you need it most, others are there or you. Participte: Participate in programs like Project Bread's Walk For Hunger, volunteer in your community at year long program like the friendship circle, become part of a project like Food For Thought or Color My World. It does not matter how you make a difference, it only is important that you make a difference for good.
