The 'Virtue' of Hunger?

In her June newsletter to constituents, Missouri State Representative Cynthia Davis extolled the virtues of childhood hunger. Davis said, “Hunger can be a positive motivator.” MSNBC’s Countdown host Keith Olbermann hammered Davis’ lack of compassion. Check out the video.

Missouri State Representative Cynthia Davis’s comments extolling the virtues of childhood hunger demonstrate a disappointing lack of awareness of the issue. 12.4 million children in America—that’s one in six—are at risk of hunger, and that number is rising.

Share Our Strength has invested over $1M to fight childhood hunger in Missouri, which is one of the top ten states for food insecurity, with one in five children under 18 at risk of hunger.

In addition, summer food programs like the one that Representative Davis was criticizing, are actually an example of government at its best. In the 41 years since the USDA Summer Food Service Program has been around, it has helped fill the hunger gap for millions of children in need across the US who rely on the school cafeteria for free or reduced-price meals during the regular school year and who would otherwise not have access to nutritious food during the summer.

We urge Representative Davis to educate herself about the issue, and to join us in the fight against childhood hunger.