My work at the Jewish Federation has made me privy to a secret: millions of people in Greater Los Angeles (and thousands of Jews) can’t make ends meet; they can’t put food on the table.  So when we started talking about a plan to end hunger I thought to myself, this is great, but can we really make a dent?  Not just in the Jewish community, but in the community at large?  And how are we going to tackle an issue this big, this amorphous?

Personally, I’m up for tackling big problems.  I see case after case where my clients are deep in debt due to health care bills and more recently, layoffs, and I want to do something about it! After a lot of research, I’ve come to understand that ending hunger can potentially help  solve major social issues.

Access to nutritious and affordable food is a major factor in the fight against obesity, which costs American taxpayers $150 billion per year in health care costs. Healthier citizens translates to lower costs for everyone.

In addition, every $1 invested in food stamps generates about $1.80 in economic growth.  That’s money that goes straight into the local economy, helping business owners maintain jobs and serve their communities.

So while the issue of hunger seems overwhelming sometimes, it’s important to remember that it’s the keystone to breaking down the problems that we face today. In the past, the LA Jewish community has successfully rallied around solving crises and muting disasters in Israel and abroad. So why can’t we mobilize and fight this problem, this humanitarian crisis, that’s taking place in our very own city?

Hunger is conquerable. Other cities around the world haveproven that. With the right combination of advocacy, volunteerism, and donations, we can ensure that no Angeleno will have to worry about where his/her next meal will come from.

Raise your voice along with those who are  Fed Up With Hunger.