Although unemployment insurance claims have fallen in recent weeks, 47 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits since mid-March. In pre-pandemic days, millions of families in the United States already suffered from food insecurity, and the dramatic increase in lost wages has only made it worse for people at risk of going hungry.
Fortunately, food banks and community organizations have stepped up their efforts to feed hungry Americans across the country. Individuals and small businesses have stepped up too, offering comfort food to essential workers, raising money for food banks, and sharing home-baked goods to strengthen community ties. Thanks to the generosity of Super Awesome People™, bodies are being fed, and so are souls.
Here are some of their stories.
(Jasmine Waheed, Unsplash) 
(Frankie Cordoba, Unsplash)
- From Farm to Table: Food waste is a major problem in America, and it has been exasperated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, American farmers have been working hard to get their excess crops to hungry families, even when the food distribution chain has been uprooted. Read about the food rescue efforts of potato farmers in Idaho here and here.
- Sharing a Sourdough Starter: In March, Chef Johanna Hellrigl offered to share her sourdough starter with her D.C. neighbors, and a month later, her starter had been shared more than 500 times, with another 100 people on her waiting list. Recipients were asked to pay it forward by supporting initiatives to help out-of-work restaurant workers and restaurants shuttered by the pandemic. Read more about it here: Sourdough Makes a Sweet Impact.
- The Lasagna Guy: As of May, Restauranteur Luca Di Pietro and his team had delivered more than 64,000 meals to healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. He raised more than $1.46 million through his for-profit initiative, Feed the Frontlines NYC, and was able to keep his staff employed and healthcare workers well-fed.
- The Lasagna Lady: After she was furloughed from her job, Michelle Brenner used her $1,200 stimulus check to buy ingredients, and she started making homemade lasagna for friends, neighbors, and strangers. In nine weeks, Brenner gave away 1,257 lasagnas and has raised more than $23,000 to fund her efforts. Read more about the lasagna lady, and donate on Facebook.
- Supporting Small Businesses and Essential Workers: In Naples, FL, an anonymous donor gave Bill Salley $42,000 so Bill’s Cafe could provide 100 breakfast sandwiches to nearby hospital workers on weekday mornings for two months. The donor spoke with The Washington Post about other anonymous donations he made to area businesses to keep them going strong in their time of need.
- Bad Dad Jokes Fundraiser: Tom Schruben, the “Bad Dad Jokes” guy (read more here) decided to use his newfound fame (infamy?) for a good cause to raise money for Martha’s Table, a D.C.-area nonprofit that provides education, nutrition, and family services for kids in need. Schruben hosted a bad dad joke contest for Father’s Day, and asked contestants to donate at least $5 to Martha’s Table or another organization of their choice for each joke submitted. The winning joke? What do you call a fish with no eyes? A FSH.
- Teens Helping Seniors: Teens Helping Seniors is a new initiative (it’s like Meals on Wheels crossed with Instacart) where young people and adults can volunteer to deliver groceries to seniors and other at-risk people during the pandemic. Read more about the teen founders here: Even More Super Awesome Kids™.
- NYC Provides Grab-and-Go Meals and Feminine Products: In early March, New York City was reluctant to shut down its public schools because thousands of food insecure families rely on them for nutritious meals. By mid-May (two months after public schools closed), NYC had distributed 14 million grab-and-go meals to hungry New Yorkers, including non-students. With pressure from two high school girls, the city expanded the program to include free menstrual supplies for economically disadvantaged women and girls.
- Wine Ninja Deliveries: In Alberta, Canada, a covert sisterhood of wine ninjas are sneaking around town delivering free wine and goodie bags to women in need of a little pick-me-up. Their challenge is that anyone who receives a delivery needs to pay it forward by dressing up and delivering the next boozy care package.
- Little Free Pantries: The mini pantry movement started in 2016. It’s a grassroots effort inspired by Little Free Libraries with mini pantries established around the globe where you “Give what you can. Take what you need.” During the pandemic, the pantries have become another place where people in need can find free food left by good Samaritans. Use their website to search for a mini pantry near you.
- #SaveWithStories: Since mid-March, celebrities have been reading children’s stories on Instagram to raise money for a joint Save the Children and No Kid Hungry campaign. Food is good for the body, and reading books is good for the soul, so this campaign is a win-win.
Other Ways to Give or Receive Food Assistance
- Feeding America (feedingamerica.org) is the largest domestic hunger-relief organization in the United States, with 200 member food banks across the country. Find your local food bank through their nationwide network to volunteer or receive assistance and donate today.
- Meals on Wheels America (mealsonwheelsamerica.org) uses a network of volunteers to deliver food to to homebound senior citizens. Search their database of 5,000 independently-run local programs to sign up or volunteer and donate today.
- No Kid Hungry (nokidhungry.org) aims to keep children in America from going hungry. With school closures and social distancing, their strategies have changed during the pandemic. Find free meals for kids in your area and donate today.
- World Central Kitchen (wck.org) has delivered millions of meals to communities hit hard by natural disasters and other emergencies around the world. These “Food First Responders” are now providing emergency food relief during the pandemic with their #ChefsForAmerica initiative. Find out more and donate today.