Every day, almost 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes. That’s one child every five seconds!
Hunger affects all of us! Become educated. Know the devil you seek to destroy. Be good stewards of the gifts God has given. Make a donation to the cause. Be an advocate. Get involved. Participate in this year’s Crop Walk!
Facts and Figures on Health
- Poor nutrition and calorie deficiencies cause nearly one in three people to die prematurely or have disabilities, according to the World Health Organization.
- Pregnant women, new mothers who breastfeed infants, and children are among the most at risk of undernourishment.
- In 2006, about 9.7 million children died before they reached their fifth birthday. Almost all of these deaths occured in developing countries, 4/5 of them in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, the two regions that also suffer from the highest rates of hunger and malnutrition.
- Most of these deaths are attributed, not to outright starvation, but to diseases that move in on vulnerable children whose bodies have been weakened by hunger.
- Every year, more than 20 million low-birth weight babies are born in developing countries. These babies risk dying in infancy, while those who survive often suffer lifelong physical and cognitive disabilities.
- The four most common childhood illnesses are diarrhea, acute respiratory illness, malaria and measles. Each of these illnesses is both preventable and treatable. Yet, again, poverty interferes in parents’ ability to access immunizations and medicines. Chronic undernourishment on top of insufficient treatment greatly increases a child’s risk of death.
- In the developing world, 26 percent of children under 5 are moderately to severely underweight. 10 percent are severely underweight. 11 percent of children under 5 are moderately to severely wasted, or seriously below weight for one’s height, and an overwhelming 32 percent are moderately to severely stunted, or seriously below normal height for one’s age.
CROP Hunger Walks are community-based walk events held in cities and towns across the United States raising funds to support the global mission of Church World Service, a faith-based organization transforming communities around the globe through just and sustainable responses to hunger, poverty, displacement and disaster. Twenty five percent of the funds raised are returned to the host community to support local hunger fighting efforts.
When: Every year on a Sunday afternoon in October
Registration 1:30 PM; Walk starts at 2:00 PM
Where: 1st Presbyterian Church, 2101 Jefferson St. SW, Roanoke VA
https://www.crophungerwalk.org/roanokeva/