We need more and more prevalent it takes its greatest toll in the form of child hunger – ravaging younger generations with a domino effect that threatens physical health, mental health, behavior, and education. But waging the war on child hunger costs only pennies a day. Help us feed our kids here at home -- one by one – give every child the sustenance to excel and the energy to just be a kid. Be a part of the solution.

In the United States, 1 out of 6 children lives in a food insecure household, which means they do not always know where they will find their next meal, are unable to consistently access nutritious and adequate amounts of food necessary for a healthy life, and are at risk of going hungry.

ONEXONE realizes it is crucial to address the hunger issue because its effects are so devastating to the development of a healthy child during critical periods of growth. Nutrition is a critical component to a healthy life. Hunger negatively impacts school performance and academic achievement, and overall behavioral and cognitive development. And hunger puts kids at risk for illness and weakens their immune system. (Children who are food insecure are 90% more likely to be in fair or poor health and have 30% higher rates of hospitalization.) It is a rapidly growing issue with the demand at food banks across the U.S. up as much as 30% since just last year.

That is why ONEXONE partnered with Feeding America, the nation’s leading hunger-relief organization, in October 2008 to support The BackPack Program.

The BackPack Program concept was developed at the Arkansas Rice Depot, after a school nurse asked for help because hungry students were coming to her with stomachaches and dizziness. She concluded that many of these students were barely eating between the time they received a free school lunch on Friday and then again on Monday, going hungry over he weekend. The local food bank began to provide the school children with groceries in non-descript backpacks to carry home.

Today there are more than 2,200 BackPack Programs in operation, serving more than 90,000 children each year. But the need is still so much greater. More than 18 million U.S. children rely on free or reduced-price school lunch provided through the National School Lunch Program, but have no support for these hungry children at times when that resource is not available on weekends. ONEXONE donated $50,000 last year in support of The BackPack Program and continues to grow that gift. But for just 1.60 a day, you can guarantee one kid will not go hungry this weekend. Be a part of the solution.

ONEXONE is also working hard to impact the hunger problem in Canada through the ONEXONE First Nations Breakfast Program. The program was developed in collaboration with the Assembly of First Nations and PepsiCo Canada with the goal of ensuring the availability of healthy food to all First Nations children in the school setting.

Although information regarding food insecurity in this population is limited, the available data indicates that food insecurity is a major problem in First Nations communities; It is estimated that at least 80% of households experience food insecurity, and that children are at greatest risk.

The ONEXONE First Nations Breakfast Program in partnership with PepsiCo Canada provides a nutritious breakfast for children each and every school day. The meal provided includes at least 3 of the 4 major food groups with items such as 100% Juice, Oatmeal, Ready-to-Eat instant cereal as well as fresh produce. Additionally, the program provides funding and logistical support to sustain the high costs of transporting food to these remote communities, guidance on risk management procedures for safe food handling, and nutrition support through ONEXONE’s in-staff dietitian.

ONEXONE, with generous support from its partners in the Assembly of First Nations and PepsiCo Canada, is currently serving 1,500 breakfasts every school day. (That’s 7,500 breakfasts served each week!) PepsiCo Canada has single-handedly championed this program by providing an estimated 150,000 healthy breakfasts valued at over $200,000; In 2008, they provided over 33,000 servings of Quaker instant oatmeal, cold cereals and Dole juices, and by mid-July 2009, they have provided over 51,500! This is a tremendous start but we need your help to reach the rest of the many more First Nations children not yet being served and still at risk of hunger.

The ONEXONE First Nations Breakfast Program has already seen overwhelmingly positive results since first implemented in October 2008. The healthy meals provide at the start of every school day have tremendous positive impact on learning, creativity, improved test grades, and even attendance.

Please join us in making a difference and fight child hunger in our First Nations communities, one by one. Just $1.60 will provide 1 child with a healthy breakfast. Be a part of the solution.