Good Deeds: Viola Davis becomes spokesperson for national campaign to fight childhood hunger
EEW Magazine Online // No Kid Hungry // Philanthropy
Viola Davis knows what it’s like to face hunger as a child, and she’s committed to reaching the day when no child in our country goes hungry.
EEW Magazine Online was pleased to learn last month that she had joined No Kid Hungry, a national campaign to end childhood hunger, as the newest national spokesperson, alongside Jeff Bridges and spokesfamily Stephen and Ayesha Curry.
Davis couldn’t have joined at a more critical time. Childhood hunger in the U.S. has seen a sharp increase because of the pandemic. Millions of families are out of work, with children facing empty pantries at home.
It’s a moment that resonates with Davis, who grew up struggling with hunger in a family of six.
“The uncertainty of where your next meal will come from is a scary thing, and it consumes every waking moment you have,” she said. “I still remember what it was like—the stigma attached to it and the shame—that’s what so many families are going through right now.”
Viola Davis (Credit: John Russo)
As one of her first acts with No Kid Hungry, she’s helping bring attention to the organization’s Longest Summer report which captures the experiences and testimonies of families trying to put food on the table during this crisis.
In the face of these stats and stories, Davis knows we all must act to help feed families now and into the future. That’s why she penned a letter to Congress, urging them to strengthen the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which feeds hungry kids and their families nationwide.
“While it will take a combination of resources to help our nation’s low-income families and children, one of the best ways to feed hungry kids during a pandemic is by making sure their families have the resources to feed themselves,” she wrote. “That’s the power of SNAP.”
You can also use your voice to urge Congress to strengthen SNAP during this time of crisis for so many hungry children, and help give kids the nutrition they need to thrive during and beyond this crisis.
