When my mom was growing up, my grandparents instituted the Clean Plate Club. If she didn’t finish her dinner, she was told there were starving children in China who would love to eat her food. I think she responded with, “I’ll mail it to them.” 🙂

I think most parents now have substituted China with Africa but the sentiment is the same – don’t waste food when there are people going hungry every day. In fact, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, 925 million people around the world suffer from consistent hunger.

While perhaps we can’t send the food from our plates, there are great organizations and things to do to help eliminate hunger around the world. For the first Friday Global Giving, check out some of these ideas to help keep plates full:

• Sign the petition to put an end to hunger on www.1billionhungry.org
• Meet your neighbors and collect cans to donate at your local food pantry
• Host an international meal and ask your guests to give $20 to the World Food Program. Check out the United Noshes for inspiration.
• Teach your kids about hunger with Heifer’s games and activities
• Learn ways to act on hunger at DoSomething.org
• Volunteer with your friends or family at your local soup kitchen
• Help plant a community garden
• Share facts about hunger on Facebook or Twitter
• Run the London 2 Brighton 100K on May 25-26, 2013 organized by the Hunger Project
• Organize a Famine for the Night to raise awareness and funds for the cause

Courtesy of goldencommunitygarden.org