The Super Bowl can be so much more than a classic championship game and a barrage of advertisements. The NFL, with its powerful media presence, has a great opportunity to help the suffering people around the world. There are 842 million people worldwide who struggle every day to find basic food.
Read the full article at The Huffington Post.
Filed under global hunger
Charity Miles, the hunger-fighting app, announced today that Humana, the health care company, has become a sponsor. Next week’s Humana Challenge PGA Tour golf event will also feature Charity Miles.
The Charity Miles app lets you run, walk or bike to raise money for a charity of your choice. You just download the app onto your smartphone, select a charity and start your workout. The donations are paid for by the sponsors. The app is totally free for the user. The UN World Food Programme and Feeding America are two of the charities that are included with the app.
Read the full article at Examiner.com
Filed under global hunger
With every new year comes our famous, or sometimes infamous, resolutions. Here is one though that I think everyone can happily stay the course with: Charity Miles.
It’s exercising for a cause, one greater than yourself. You just download the free Charity Miles app (www.charitymiles.org) onto your smartphone. Bring it with you as you walk, run or bike. You just have to select a charity, click start, and begin your workout.
Read the full article at Examiner.com
Filed under global hunger
In 1947 Americans fed a “silent guest” during the holidays and this led to a CARE package going overseas to feed the hungry.
Credits:
CARE
Writing is like a bridge to other worlds. It can take you to a land far away. Or it can even take you back in time. All you need is a pen and your imagination.
This combination of writing and history is the best tool I have for taking on one of mankind’s greatest threats: global hunger.
Why study history? Because “I like to” to quote former Harvard Professor Frederick Merk. There are great stories as we uncover the past. It’s inspiring. How well known is it that millions of lives have been saved over the years because both citizens and leaders were committed to fighting hunger. Shouldn’t that be remembered and celebrated?
History can help guide us through the sometimes treacherous waters before us. The famous Marshall Plan that rebuilt Europe after World War II showed how critical food is for rebuilding a society. Once, a young lieutenant after World War I was told that getting food to the hungry trapped in a valley would be impossible. His response was “yes, we can” and his team got it done. That is the spirit that must remain timeless.
My writing adventure against world hunger started when I was finishing a graduate course at the College of Mount St. Joseph. You know a class is going well when the ideas start coming. Sometimes those ideas divert you from the curriculum, but when it comes to education it’s good to deviate. School is about creative thinking and writing.
I was ready to take on a new topic with my writing. However, I did not know much about global hunger at that time. I knew hunger was a crisis both globally and even locally. Today, there are 870 million people worldwide who suffer from hunger. In America there are just over 50 million people who struggle to get food. But quite often it’s not something we see right in front of us and it’s not often covered in the media. These great distances can mean less action.
Hunger can be a silent crisis too. The effects of malnutrition are very damaging, and even deadly, to a society. The impact can takes months or years to unfold, or to be realized. Hunger though has the potential to claim more lives than a war itself.
To get started, I bought a book about Food for Peace by George McGovern written back in the early 1960’s. From that historical starting block I moved into the present day struggle. I made a great contact with Jennifer Parmelee of the UN World Food Programme (WFP). The WFP is the largest food aid organization in the world. Then I got some ideas.
My first article on hunger was published in my hometown newspaper, the Cincinnati Enquirer, on my birthday. I have written hundreds of articles and books about hunger since that time. I even compiled these articles and interviews into several books.
With each story I try to take that trip to a distant land or time. Sometimes I do both. Just within the last year I have written about school meal programs (which Charity Miles supports) and have received comments from people who benefited from U.S. led school feeding in Germany after World War II.
Sometimes I do my writing in between a Charity Miles workout. I will bring a little notebook and stop somewhere and jot a few things down. Last week I took a break at the College of Mount St. Joseph library and found a historical book about the International Red Cross. I read about how they provided school meals to children in Hungary during the 1956 Revolution.
When it comes to fighting hunger you are looking at a crisis so massive, that it takes involvement from so many corners to mount any kind of offensive. This month I reminded a UN Development goals class at Mount St. Joseph of Helen Keller’s quote, “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”
A good idea would be if someone could write a paragraph or two about their interests and talents. Afterwards, you would write down how those same parts of your life could be used to help end global hunger. If you use Charity Miles you already have one such idea to write down and develop. The great thing about Charity Miles is that you can fight hunger both at home, by supporting Feeding America, and abroad by helping WFP. On some days I have run or walked for both. You can probably think of many other ways to help these organizations fight hunger. Think of as many as you can. Then you can start turning those ideas into action.
Those words and ideas can lead to many things. I remember a message from an organization called Edesia saying that a newspaper article I wrote led to donations to buy Plumpy’Nut, a life saving food for infants, during the East Africa famine of 2011. You never know what surprises wait around the corner just by writing or diving a bit into the past.
Originally published at Charity Miles.
Filed under global hunger
I have conducted interviews with several members of the Mount St. Joseph University Charity Miles team (MountMiles). These interviews have been published online at Huffington Post, Examiner and some have appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer print edition.
I have compiled a list of the published interviews and other features here with links. It’s a great way to learn about Charity Miles, how it works, and the people that make it go. This information can also serve as a model for other schools in setting up their own Charity Miles programs.
Interview: Tristan Chaput on Charity Miles for College
Interview with Aaron Bloemer- the student leader for Charity Miles
Interview: LeeAnne Reinert, Charity Miler at Mount St. Joseph
Huffington Post feature on Cross Country Runner Amanda Shelby
College student Kelly Burger featured at Huffington Post on 30-hour famine
Interview: Matthew Kohlmorgen about Charity Miles and Hemingway
MSJ runner Kelleen Scott logs charity miles to fight cancer
Fox19 segment on Mount Miles event
College Student Becca Heizer Excels at Charity Miles and Service Learning
MSJ Impact Group to Host Charity Miles Walkathon
MSJ Student Leader Making an Impact
MSJ Student Inspired by Charity Miles
Cincinnati Enquirer Good News Profile on Aaron Bloemer
Runner gives holiday gift of Plumpy’Nut to starving children
Cincinnati Authors Class Helps Feed the Hungry with Charity Miles
Linking Hunger Fighting and Service Learning
Small College Captured Spirit of the Marshall Plan
Filed under Charity
LeeAnne Reinert is the President of the College of Mount St. Joseph Student Nurse Association. While starting her career in the medical field, LeeAnne has also been fundraising for many charitable causes.
She is a member of the Mount’s Charity Miles team (MountMiles), organized by the Campus Activities Board. Charity Miles is a free app you download onto your smartphone that allows you to raise money for Feeding America, Autism Speaks, Stand Up To Cancer, the World Food Program and many other charities.
When you start your workout, you select which organization to sponsor. Then for each mile you run, walk or bike, a donation is made to the charity of your choice, paid out of a sponsorship pool.
LeeAnne recently took time to discuss Charity Miles.
Tell us about your first experience with Charity Miles, as part of extra credit for a class.
I was very excited when I was told about the Charity Miles opportunity for my Cincinnati Authors Literature class. It was perfectly timed with Lent and connected my two Lenten goals into one since my Lenten goals were to make healthier choices and dedicate my time to a worthy cause. Running for good causes gave me all the motivation I needed to lace up my running shoes and head to the track.
I was also excited that if I completed the required number of miles by the end of the semester I would not have to write the final paper for my Lit class. (What college student doesn’t love getting out of writing a paper?) This opportunity ended up being a blessing that allowed me to focus on my nursing classes and raise my grades that ultimately helped me earn a 4.0 last semester!
How many Charity Miles have you run so far?
During school I ran about 30 miles. Since the beginning of summer vacation I have run about 40 miles. (The heat and work have slowed me down.)
What are some of the charities that you are helping?
The two charities that I run for the most are Stand Up To Cancer and Wounded Warriors Project.
Do you have a personal connection with any of the Charity Miles causes?
The Wounded Warriors Project has a special place in my heart. My father, mother, and brother are all in the military (or are retired from it) so all my life I have been surrounded by the dedicated men and women of our armed forces. Running for them makes me feel like I am doing my part to say thank you for their sacrifices. They received the care they more than earn as they continue to put themselves in harm’s way.
Stand Up To Cancer is another organization that is near and dear to me. I have had too many friends and family members fight or lose the battle to cancer. As a future nurse, cancer is going to surround me and knowing that the miles I run could help that fight always makes me want to push a little harder during each workout.
Can someone follow your Charity Miles workouts?
All of my Facebook friends can see my see my miles. My hope though is that my friends will be inspired to follow my lead and participate as well. I always know that some of my fellow Charity Miles runners/walkers will like the post and I always try to return the favor to them.
originally published at Cincinnati.com
Filed under Charity
Charity Miles, the free smartphone app that lets you raise money to support causes while exercising, is taking the world by storm. Colleges is one of the places where this technological breakthrough in charity is happening.
At the College of Mount St. Joseph in Ohio students are using the app. Tristan Chaput, the president of the Campus Activities Board there, talks about Charity Miles on her campus. She hopes that the school will be “national champs” in this charity sport.
How did you decide to get MSJ involved in Charity Miles?
It was really a spur of the moment thing! I was first introduced to Charity Miles through author William Lambers after winning a contest that he put together. I downloaded the app and used it when I was walking around campus from class to class and then I realized that the miles were really adding up. Bill mentioned making it a school-wide event. I am on the Campus Activities Board (CAB) at the Mount, so I brought it to the executive board. Everybody seemed excited about the idea of it, so it really took off. Some of our executive members are the ones who have collected the most miles so far. To get the campus involved, we decided to have a summer contest and see who can collect the most miles (the winner gets a prize). So far Mount students have collected 64.805 miles.
What kinds of charities are benefiting from your workouts?
Lately I have been working out for She’s the First, an organization that seeks to give girls in developing countries an education, since they are new to Charity Miles. I also do workouts for Wounded Warrior Project, Feeding America, and World Food Programme.
How many Charity Miles have you collected so far this summer?
19.602 miles
Do you think MSJ could be the leading college in terms of Charity Miles, even national champs?
I really think we could! Unlike larger campuses where you have to take shuttle buses from one side of campus to the other, MSJ is so small we walk everywhere! I know from experience that this is a great way to earn some Charity Miles! We also have a campus that is full of people who are always doing service, whether it’s service hours for a class or simply volunteering during his/her free time.
How does someone get involved with Charity Miles at your school and in the community?
For the community, it’s easy. All you have to do is download the free app Charity Miles on your iPhone or Android. Before your workout begins decide whether you want to walk, run, or bike. Then simply select the charity you want to help and press start. Students have one extra step they need to complete. At the end of the workout they need to either “share” their workout on CAB’s Facebook page (Campus Activities Board – MSJ) or on CAB’s Twitter page (@CAB_MSJ). When they do this they are automatically entered to win prizes.
article originally published at Cincinnati.com
Filed under global hunger
Schoolchildren from Asprangeli, Greece, enjoy a mid-day meal, with food provided by the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration after World War II. (Harry S. Truman Library)
The suspense is building for the Boston Marathon, which comes next Monday. Who will take the prize this year? While we wait for the big race it’s worth remembering the 1946 winner, Stylianos Kyriakides of Greece, where the idea of the marathon originated.
For his run was more than about making it over Heartbreak Hill and onto victory. His mission was to bring attention to famine and suffering in his homeland.
During World War II the German Army practically left Greece in ruins and short on food. Aid was desperately needed.
April 1946 was a pivotal time in world history; hunger then was the World War II enemy that had yet to be defeated. President Harry Truman sent Herbert Hoover on a worldwide mission to fight famine, including a visit to Greece.
Truman even delivered a national address on food conservation the night before the race, stating, “we cannot ignore the cry of hungry children. Surely we will not turn our backs on the millions of human beings begging for just a crust of bread. The warm heart of America will respond to the greatest threat of mass starvation in the history of mankind.”
For Kyriakides, the Boston Marathon offered an opportunity to shine the spotlight on the hunger in his homeland. He faced a tough challenge.
There was the defending champion Johnny Kelley and other great runners to contend with. Kyriakides also had to overcome years of living in the harsh occupation conditions with below-average nutrition. His life had been spared by German troops because he was a marathoner and had competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
Kyriakides overcame the odds, overcame the great Johnny Kelley, and sprinted to victory in the marathon. When he crossed the finish line he shouted “For Greece!” for he knew what this victory would mean in telling the world of his country’s plight. His mission though was not over even after he crossed the finish line. Next was touring the country to raise donations for Greek relief.
As this Boston Marathon fast approaches we must remember that famine conditions have not left the world, even long after World War II. There are 870 million people worldwide who suffer from hunger. There are wars in Syria, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Mali and other areas where severe hunger has taken hold. Children die each day from malnutrition and others are stunted in growth forever. Many infants can be saved by a 33 cent package of Plumpy’Nut, a nutrient-rich peanut paste produced by Providence- based Edesia.
Millions of school-age children in these countries struggle to get one meal a day. If they could receive food at school they might have a chance at a future. It costs about 25 cents for the World Food Program to provide them a school meal each day. Yet, it is difficult to get funding for hunger relief. There are so many instances of food aid programs being reduced or even being cut because not enough donations come in from around the world. In Haiti, for instance, school meals are considered the cornerstone of the country’s reconstruction, a helping hand to unlock the potential in the country.
Many years have passed since Kyriakides accomplished what might be called one of the first Charity Mile runs. His legacy can continue. There is a way runners, as well as walkers and bikers, can make an impact on this struggle against hunger.
There is a free app you can download onto your smartphone at CharityMiles.org. The app tracks your distances and for every mile you cover donations are made to a charity of your choice. The U.N. World Food Program as well as Feeding America, are two of the charities that you can raise donations for.
So when this Boston Marathon arrives the competitors can also make a statement as Kyriakides did, by running the historic race and and making hunger history at the same time.
Article first published as The Boston Marathon Winner Who Fed the Hungry on Blogcritics and the Providence Journal.
Filed under global hunger
There is a humanitarian emergency ongoing in the Middle East with refugees fleeing war-torn Syria. While it might seem a world away and hard to help, there is actually something you can do.
Earlier I reported how the free app Charity Miles is raising funds for the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the largest hunger fighting agency. WFP works in around 70 countries and is providing food aid for Syrian war victims.
The Charity Miles app tracks your walking, running and biking distances. For every mile a donation is made to WFP, or any charity of your choice. The Charity Miles for WFP are going toward their school meals programs. WFP has just started school feeding for Syrian refugee children in Jordan.
By walking, running and raising Charity Miles for WFP you can help increase the funding amounts for school meals. It’s an easy way to get involved in the relief effort no matter where you are in the world.
You can get started at Charitymiles.org
Filed under global hunger
Remember the Hungry this Easter (author’s photo)
A survey by the National Retail Federation says Americans will spend about 17.2 billion dollars on Easter this year.
Imagine if that spending could be changed, just even a little bit. If one billion of that amount went to global hunger relief it could fund humanitarian emergencies in war devastated Syria, South Sudan, Afghanistan, and Mali and other countries.
At the time of Easter 1946 Americans cut back on festivities in order to help those suffering in countries leveled by World War II. While the hard fought war had been won, the peace had not. Hunger was the enemy that remained. The U.S. Army in Austria, for instance, was helping provide school meals to hungry children.
Americans listened to the plea of President Harry Truman around Easter when he warned, “we cannot ignore the cry of hungry children. Surely we will not turn our backs on the millions of human beings begging for just a crust of bread. The warm heart of America will respond to the greatest threat of mass starvation in the history of mankind.”
Truman canceled the White House egg roll as part of the nationwide effort to conserve food. The Gramercy Boys Club in the Bronx, New York created arm bands with the reminder “Don’t waste food.” They canceled their own Easter Egg hunt and decided to send their candy to the children in Europe. Americans rallied to send as much food as they could overseas whether it was through buying CARE packages or community collections.
The first 20,000 CARE packages of food arrived in France a couple weeks after Easter. In Cincinnati, Ohio firehouses, schools, and food stores served as collection points for a city-wide canned good drive. In May the Cincinnati Enquirer reported the city had sent 10 tons of food off to Europe with more collections to come. One Cincinnati man even donated an entire paycheck to the relief effort.
Herbert Hoover, who led hunger relief after both World Wars, penned the series of books on America’s life-saving efforts called An American Epic. Americans can today can start writing the next volume by their actions in this turbulent time in the world.
War and drought disasters are placing millions at risk of starvation. The conflict in Syria has destroyed food production factories and even if the fighting mercifully ended today it will takes years to rebuild the supply system. Both war and drought have struck at Mali and the Sahel region of Africa. In South Sudan people are living off foods from the wild because of internal conflict and poor harvests. In Afghanistan, very little is told about the hunger that makes about 60 percent of its youngest children stunted in growth. In Haiti, there is still much to be done to fight hunger and help the country rebuild.
Infant children are the most vulnerable to these disasters but a small sachet of the peanut paste Plumpy’Nut, which costs about 33 cents, can save them. It’s a nutrient rich food that some say tastes similar to a Peanut Butter Cup.
Even today there are ways to feed the hungry without spending a nickel. If you go online and play FreeRice you raise money every time you answer a question correctly. If you go to CharityMiles.org you can download a free app and go run, walk or bile to raise money for the World Food Programme or Feeding America. There is hunger within America’s border too with 50 million plus in need.
This Easter nothing could be more important than saving the lives of the hungry. There is more than enough food on the planet for everyone. No more important steps could be taken toward peace than relieving this crushing agony of hunger that afflicts 870 million people around the globe. The message of Easter is to stop that suffering and renew the world.
originally published at the Des Moines Register, Cincinnati.com and History News Network.
Filed under global hunger
Author William Lambers 
