Read another powerful message from the OpEd Nurses, Donna Gaffney and Teri Mills, that was just published in USA Today. It delivers a stark warning: more than 13 million American children are going hungry, and recent political decisions are making the crisis worse.
In a nation defined by abundance, it is unconscionable that nearly one in five children faces daily hunger. This isn’t about food scarcity; it’s about political choices and misplaced priorities. The GOP-led Senate recently passed the largest-ever cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), threatening to push millions of families further into food insecurity at a time when food prices continue to soar.
As frontline nurses and longtime child advocates, Gaffney and Mills have seen the damage hunger does to children’s health and development. Malnourished kids struggle to grow, learn, and thrive. Chronic hunger increases the risk of long-term health problems and erodes emotional well-being. This reality is poignantly captured in Erik Talkin’s children’s book, Lulu and the Hunger Monster, where a young girl battles an unseen force that mirrors what millions of children silently face each day.
Food banks and charities cannot fill the widening gap. For every meal a food bank provides, SNAP delivers nine. Cutting this lifeline during a time of rising need is not just a policy failure—it’s a moral one. The long-term consequences for children’s health and academic success are profound and preventable.
Read the full USA Today OpEd just published by the OpEd Nurses, Donna Gaffney and Teri Mills:
“13 million American kids are hungry. GOP just made it worse by cutting SNAP”
Discover and share Lulu and the Hunger Monster by Erik Talkin
No child should battle hunger alone. The time to speak out and take action is now.
But what can one person do? That’s the question at the heart of so many overwhelming challenges, especially something as vast and urgent as child hunger. But here’s the truth: one person can do a lot. Change often begins with a single voice refusing to stay silent.
Here are concrete actions one person can take:
Use Your Voice
-
Share the OpEd by Donna Gaffney and Teri Mills to raise awareness:
USA Today: 13 million American kids are hungry -
Write to your representatives. Urge them to reverse SNAP cuts and protect essential safety net programs. Use tools like Common Cause or USA.gov to find and contact elected officials.
-
Post on social media. One compelling post can ripple far beyond your circle.
Support Local Food Access
-
Donate to food banks in your area—they’re stretched thin. Even small donations help.
-
Volunteer. A few hours a month at a food pantry, school meal program, or community garden can make a difference.
-
Start a school backpack program or support existing ones that send food home with students on weekends.
Educate and Empower Others
-
Share children’s books like Lulu and the Hunger Monster to spark empathy and awareness.
-
Host a read-aloud at your school and use it as a springboard for conversation and advocacy.
Join or Support Advocacy Groups
-
Align with organizations like:
-
These groups have the structure, reach, and strategy to make large-scale change; your support helps amplify their efforts.
❤️ Believe That Your Action Matters
Movements are made up of individuals, nurses, teachers, parents, neighbors, who show up, write letters, and speak out. Those who believe that hunger is unacceptable in a country with enough food for all.
You are one person. But when you act, you remind others they can too. That’s how movements grow. That’s how monsters like hunger are defeated.
Bios:
Donna A. Gaffney is a nurse, psychotherapist and author of “Courageous Well-Being for Nurses: Strategies for Renewal.”
Teri Mills, MSN, RN Emeritus, Adult Nurse Practitioner (retired); 2019 Oregon Nurse of the Year; former president National Nursing Network Organization.
Resources:
A Leader’s Guide to the Food Justice Books for Kids Series
No Kid Hungry: Facts About Child Hunger in America
