Hunger Action Month: 7 Ways to Get Involved
What are your plans for Hunger Action Month? Read on to discover seven ways you can make a difference.
Jamy-Lee Holt
What are your plans for Hunger Action Month? Read on to discover seven ways you can make a difference.
Millions of Americans face food insecurity issues, including nearly 14 million children. Every September, Hunger Action Month inspires people in the United States to take action against hunger by raising awareness and providing critical food sources to the needy.
In this article, we share what you need to know about Hunger Action Month, including how you can support this initiative as a nonprofit or individual in your community.
Hunger Action Month is a nationwide annual campaign launched in 2007 by Feeding America to increase awareness of hunger and combat food insecurity in affected communities across the United States.
Every year during the month of September, Feeding America partners with local food banks and volunteers to provide those in need with access to nutritious food and support. They have already distributed 6.6 billion meals to date.
Since its launch, Hunger Action Month has inspired food-based organizations and individuals across the country to help increase awareness of hunger, advocate for change, and get involved through volunteering or donating.
Throughout the month, people wear orange and decorate city landmarks to show their support in the fight against hunger.
Hunger Action Month is observed annually in September. Hunger Action Day coincides with this campaign, taking place on September 9, 2025.
Despite no shortage of food in the U.S., 50 million people rely on food banks and pantries for access to nutritious meals. Many are impacted by the high cost of living, health-related challenges, and a lack of income, resulting in barriers to adequate nutrition.
Hunger Action Month brings awareness to this fact – and works to change it.
From fundraising campaigns to partnering with local businesses in your area, there are many ways you or your nonprofit can boost awareness and provide support for those who need it most.
Let’s look at some of the ways you can rise to the challenge this Hunger Action Month.
Fundraising campaigns are a fantastic way to raise the critical funds needed to provide healthy meals to the hungry.
Create an online donation form for Hunger Action Month using a fundraising platform like Donorbox. This makes it easy for supporters to donate to your campaign while learning more about Hunger Action Month at the same time.
Organizations like White Pony Express use Donorbox to raise one-time and recurring donations to help fight hunger.
Raise More This Hunger Action Month with Donorbox
Crowdfunding campaigns are another great way to scale support! Supporters can easily share your campaign on social media so it reaches more people.
Take your fundraising potential to the next level by letting your biggest supporters fundraise for you using Donorbox Peer-to-Peer. Supporters can create their own customizable campaign pages and share them within their networks. This way, you’ll reach untapped networks and raise even more!
Setting up a food drive is a great way to provide hunger relief during Hunger Action Month and beyond.
You’ll need help with collecting, storing, and distributing food items. Encourage your network to get involved by volunteering for your food drive or making a donation.
Partner with local food pantries to understand which items are most needed in your area. Supporters can then donate in-kind gifts like non-perishable food items and personal items, which are easy to store and distribute.
Pro tip: While food drives depend mostly on in-kind donations, remember to accept monetary gifts, too! Once you’ve set a fundraising goal, create an online campaign page to promote your food drive and make it easy for donors to give monetary donations.
Identify businesses that share the same values as you or your nonprofit and have a strong commitment to serving those in your community. These will make the best partners for Hunger Action Month.
For example, if you are organizing a food drive, partner with a local grocery store, restaurants, or farms to request donations of food and fresh produce.
In exchange, give them a shoutout on your social media channels or explore co-branding opportunities for your upcoming fundraising event.
Fundraising events help you maximize engagement among donors while increasing awareness around your anti-hunger initiative.
Ensure that your event ties back to fighting food insecurity. For example, you could organize a community-wide cooking competition and sell tickets to the event, with the food and proceeds from ticket sales going toward feeding the hungry.
Another great event idea for Hunger Action Month is to organize a cooking class with a well-known chef or food influencer in your community! Boost engagement by promoting your event well in advance on your social media channels, and get your special guest to do the same for maximum reach.
Make it easy for supporters to purchase tickets to your event online with event ticketing software like Donorbox Events. Create a simple yet effective online event form including all the relevant information about your event.
See how The Zadie Project uses Donorbox Events to sell tickets for their Souper Walk VII event to combat food insecurity in Atlanta:
Sell Tickets to Your Hunger Action Month Event with Donorbox
Pro tip: If you’re hosting an in-person event, maximize your fundraising potential with a donation kiosk that accepts cashless donations from your donors!
There are plenty of food banks and faith-based organizations working to provide those in need with nutritious meals. Many nonprofits operating as food banks also have fundraising campaigns for accepting donations online.
Find a local food bank and make a monetary contribution, or donate food to serve your community. Food banks welcome non-perishable food items like peanut butter, canned goods, cereal, rice, and pasta.
With many nonprofits short staffed, volunteering provides a ton of support. It’s also an incredibly rewarding way to engage in a cause you care about.
Locate a food bank or soup kitchen in your community and offer your time to support their mission!
Advocating for hunger relief takes nothing more than your voice, and social media is the ideal platform to get the word out.
One popular way of advocating for hunger relief during Hunger Action Month is to write, “On an empty stomach, I can’t…” on a paper plate and fill in the blank with the effect of being hungry. For example, “On an empty stomach, I can’t focus.” Then, take a picture with the plate and post it on social media channels like Instagram, encouraging others to do the same.
You can also share posts by other nonprofits to boost awareness of their mission or a specific campaign.
Pro tip: Remember to use #HungerActionMonth when posting or sharing to maximize awareness!
Campaigns like Hunger Action Month help inspire people and organizations to increase awareness and advocacy for food insecurity issues while providing nutritious meals to the hungry.
Donorbox is designed to help you help others during Hunger Action Month and beyond. Our powerful fundraising features and tools make it easy to elevate support for your mission while doing more good in your local community.
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