ATLANTA (CBS ATLANTA) -
A group of restaurants in metro Atlanta are working to combat childhood hunger by partnering with the Dine Out For No Child Hungry campaign.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said that nearly 18 million American households struggled to find enough to eat last year. Nearly 7 million homes had adults who skipped meals because they couldn't afford it, and 3.9 million homes that struggled with hunger included children.
That's why Mellow Mushroom and Macaroni Grill, among other restaurants, decided to get involved to combat child hunger.
Mellow Mushroom customer Kimberly Summerville told CBS Atlanta News that she gets sick to her stomach when she thinks of kids going hungry.
"In this country alone, we have everything and we can't provide for the people who are hungry out there," Summerville said.
Until the end of September, every time a Mellow Mushroom customer purchases certain menu items, the restaurant donates a dollar to the Dine Out For No Child Hungry campaign.
"One in five children in America struggle with hunger—that's a staggering number," said Romano's Macaroni Grill Chief Marketing Officer, Brandon Coleman III. "No Kid Hungry has dedicated years to creating a program to help end the crisis, and we are thrilled to be a partner. Macaroni Grill's campaign to help connect children in need with 1 Million Meals will live both online and in our restaurants, rallying a nationwide community to help those who are struggling."
With Macaroni Grill, there are three ways to give back:
Throughout the entire month of September, Macaroni Grill diners can donate $2 to No Kid Hungry and receive $5 off their next visit. Each donation can help connect a child in need to up to 20 meals.
Every time a fan shares a photo from the Mac Grill Give Facebook Gallery, Macaroni Grill will donate $1 to help connect a kid to 10 meals.
Fans are invited to tag a Tweet or Instagram photo of their Macaroni Grill experience with #macgrillgive. For every tag, Macaroni Grill will donate $1 to help connect a kid to 10 meals.
Sheila Bennett, the director of Washington D.C.-based Dine Out For No Child Hungry, told CBS Atlanta News that now more than ever, families are making a hard choice between purchasing food and other household staples.
"With the challenges of the economy today, hunger has rippled out to communities that you don't realize that families are struggling everyday to put meals on the table for their families," Bennett said.
Bennett's nonprofit hopes to raise $5 million in September to fight hunger. No Kid Hungry is partnering with 8,000 eateries nationwide to help put food on the tables of America's families.
"We are doing everything we can to help with the program and help raise awareness so that less families face that issue," Bennett said.
Click here to find more restaurants participating in the campaign.
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Source: join.strength.org
