The United Nations estimates that two to three billion people are malnourished; in America, more than 36 million Americans, including 12.4 million children, are at risk of hunger, according to the USDA. Kids Care Clubs are creating service projects and raising funds to combat this issue and feed the hungry, thanks to the support of Quaker Oats.

From Birmingham to Beijing, Kids Care Clubs around the world will lead Microfinance for Kids and Feed the Hungry projects during the tenth annual Kids Care Week, October 18 – 24, 2009.

Inspired by the book One Hen – How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference by Katie Smith Milway, Kids Care Clubs have awarded mini-grants/microloans totaling $18,500 to 70 Kids Care Clubs in 32 states, the District of Columbia and to clubs in Saudi Arabia and China.

Clubs that have received grants have creative and high-impact plans to truly feed people in their communities:

• The Edward Everett Kids Care Club in Dorchester, Mass. will shop, prepare and host a candlelight dinner at their local homeless shelter.
• The Cloverly Kids Care Club in Silver Springs, Maryland and the Volunteer Connection of Northwest Ohio in Defiance, Ohio, will create and sell cookbooks that include healthy recipes, information about microfinance, and a list of local agencies that serve the hungry.
• The Little Oak Kids Care Club in Beijing, China, will make and sell crafts and cookies at the club’s musical performance to benefit local migrant families.

The economic downturn has increased sharply the number of families across the country in need of food, and Kids Care Week 2009 presents an opportunity for students to take action against this pressing social need. One Kids Care Club in North Carolina will even be able to use the grant money to nourish its own families and community members.

“Many families [in our community] are on welfare, many parents have lost jobs and many do not qualify for food stamps,” said the facilitator of this Kids Care Club. Her club is receiving a grant to help them purchase non-perishable food items for the food pantry where many of the parents of club members shop regularly.

"It will mean so much to our students and their families who 'shop' at the food bank to know that our Club, their children, helped stock the shelves."

Kids Care Clubs are truly fighting hunger with microfinance grants and projects during this momentous week, which concludes on Make a Difference Day, Saturday, October 24.