By TYKEYSHA BOONE MPH, CNC, CONTRIBUTOR | October 2, 2017
[Pictured Above: Community Foundation of NW Mississippi Micro Grant Award Ceremony)]
When you think of hunger, you are likely to imagine a developing country, characterized by poor living conditions and insufficient resources. It is rarely the case, that we imagine “hunger” to be prevalent in the United States.
After all, the United States is the “land of opportunity”… and is in essence viewed as a place of “plenty”.
Nevertheless, organizations like Fish-N-Loaves have realized first hand that hunger is not reserved for developing countries only, but exist in full force here in the United States as well.
In February of this year (2017), Fish-N-Loves (and the name says it all) of Memphis TN, implemented their initiative “Hungernomics: The Modern Day Food Fight”, to eradicate food waste, food insecurity, and hunger in the Mid-South (DeSoto Co. and Shelby Co.). Since its launch, the Hungernomics initiative has worked aggressively to:
– Fill the gap in the food distribution channel:
Each month, food is transported from DeSoto Co. Food Pantry and delivered to the home of senior citizens/residents in Hernando (West End), MS x Nesbit, MS x Eudora, MS. The Hungernomics initiative has partnered with Panera Bread in addition to other local restaurants and food chains in order to obtain their excess food supply and distribute this food weekly within food insecure areas such as those found in Frayser, TN and North Memphis, TN and to FRNs, shelters for families and homeless shelters in Memphis, TN.
– Supplement the existing food supply
With the help of its recently received micro-grant, Fish-N- Loaves provides non-secure and secure (Access-Controlled) Bread Boxes in food insecure areas. Via their Hungernomics.org web portal, individuals sign up to gain access to the aforementioned Bread Boxes and the associated healthy food items stocked such as peanut Butter (Nutella), wheat bread, raisins, oranges, apple sauce, peanuts, almonds, cashews, oatmeal and bottled water. Fish-N-Loaves is also in discussions with Desoto County government officials to collaborate on the deployment of Solar-Powered Aquaponics Community Gardens.
Co-Founder and Executive Director, Austin Avery remarked in reference to the organization that “The Lord has called us to serve the less fortunate: impoverished, sick, abused, heartbroken, etc. Therefore, we believe the type of service we do chose us and not the other way around”.
Tykeysha Boone is a Contributor with Huffington Post.
Read the original article here.