Walmart is working together with Feeding America again to help fight childhood hunger. This time, they want to focus on what are called Backpack Programs.

What is a backpack program?

According to the Feeding America website,

Across the country, teachers and school nurses have found that in some instances, Monday morning comes and they are forced to compete against hunger for the attention of their students. More than 18 million children qualify for free or reduced price meals through the National School Lunch Program, the fuel that they need to get them through the week. What happens to these children when they go home over the weekend?

For more than 15 years, the Feeding America BackPack Program has been helping children get the nutritious and easy-to-prepare food they need over the course of the weekend. Today, bags of food assembled at more than 150 local food banks are distributed at the end of the week to nearly 230,000 children every year.  With your help, we can provide more.

Can you believe that??? More than 18 million children qualify for the free or reduced price meals.

In 2010, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation launched “Fighting Hunger Together” – a $2 billion cash and in-kind commitment through 2015 to help end hunger in America. This initiative leverages Walmart’s size and resources to provide nutritious food and the Walmart Foundation’s ability to grant funding to nonprofits that help elevate the issue.

Donations of cash, food, refrigerated trucks, mobile pantries and other resources are changing lives across America. To date, “Fighting Hunger Together” has provided more than $122 million in grants and 594 million pounds of food to communities.

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are committed to making sure that no American will ever have to face a day wondering where his or her next meal will come from.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfG6poDDx7g&list=SP4A613ABCD662D62D&index=1&feature=plpp_video

There are so many children that need help in finding their next meal, and there are ways that we can help!

Donate money.

Volunteer at your local food bank.

Look into opportunities with your local church or school.

It’s important to give back when we are able, and provide an example, especially to our children, to show them how they can help people who need what we already have…

Learn more:

Resources to engage your family and talk about the importance of giving back

http://www.fns.usda.gov/ECH/documents/ech_stakeholder_guide_entire.pdf

Walmart’s fighting hunger commitment:

http://foundation.walmart.com/our-focus/hunge Linking to additional Live Better stories/videos at www.walmart.com/livebetter