better than average.

This weekend I had to opportunity to bake cupcakes for Iced Capades.You can sign up to bake for or attend the parties that are held monthly for children living in shelters. If you are like me and you love to bake more than you(or your friends) are willing to eat, it is a perfect volunteering opportunity.

At two in the morning waiting for my cupcakes to cool from the oven, I took the moment to consider how fortunate I was to be living comfortably with a full-time job without pressing monetary concerns. However, for those who are not as lucky, the statistics are alarming, even here in the United States:


- Nationwide, 14.3% of the population, or 43.6 million people, are living below poverty line.

- In Houston, 20.6% of the population live below poverty line. This means one in five lives in poverty.

*The poverty threshold for a family of four is $21,954/year

From the 2009 U.S. Census

-About half of the adults(20 and up) will live in poverty before the age of 65.

From Heartland Alliance

-50.2 million Americans had "food insecurity", and 14.7% of households were "food insecure".

 "Food security" refers to the availability of food, and one's accessibility to it. 

"Food insecurity" ranges from starving to eating less than is nutritionally sufficient.

From FeedingAmerica

-In particular, Texas had a 17.4% of households with food insecurity, much higher than the U.S. average. That is almost one in five who has to go hungry.

From U.S. Economic Research Service

We may not be able to wish away global hunger, but we can:
- educate ourselves
- donate money to organizations
- donate items to Salvation Army or Goodwill
- volunteer our time

Here in Houston, there are many organizations that could use our help:

Houstonfood bank
Meals on Wheels
The Beacon
Kids Meals Houston

It is crucial to realize how fortunate we are to be in our own (comfortable) shoes. In life, it could have easily been the other way around, and it is important to have a heart for those who are not as lucky.