Posted on January 24, 2012 - by connie

Today, you and I make poverty personal. Here’s how:

Today, people all over Calgary, Canada, the United States and various other nations of the world who read this Culture Rebel blog are choosing to go today without food.  Why?  To become aware of how it may feel to be among one of the 3000 kids in Calgary alone who go without food during the day.  If there’s 3000 in Calgary, how many children will go today without breakfast or lunch in your city?   They may not be getting much for dinner either.

Imagine how it must feel to go to school hungry and have to think through problem solving equations in Math, or run track in Gym class.  Those who are lucky to have a lunch may have one filled with sugar that only enhance any hyper activity they may be experiencing already.   Their empty stomach only sends the sugar racing through their body for the high of their life, only to come crashing down soon after.

We need to make this personal.  They may not be our children, but they are indeed our future.  How are we setting them up for a bright future?  Potentials are ready to be reached, but food plays a huge factor.  I know in my home, my son’s success rate in behavior and energy for the day highly depends on the quality of food he has eaten.

Today, will you walk in their shoes?   Tell us your experience by commenting on the blog, or on the Culture Rebel facebook page.  If you’re on Twitter, tweet about it as well!  Get your whole family involved!  As I don’t recommend your kids going all day at school without food, why not skip one meal?  Or dessert and talk about it as a family.  I think young people hold within themselves amazing potential to create change when they believe in something.

Enough of me writing.  Its your turn to share!