Before you purchase your summer tote consider getting the “FEED Bag”, a new means of helping feed poor school children around the world while creating greater awareness of global hunger.

Proceeds from the FEED Bag – a stylish but sturdy tote bag designed by Lauren Bush, the UN World Food Program’s (WFP) Honorary Spokesperson - will feed a child at school for an entire academic year. It is available exclusively through Amazon on www.amazon.com/feed.

THE BAG:
Sold through Amazon.com for $59.95, the reversible burlap/natural muslin bag was inspired by WFP bags which carry grain, often for life-saving operations. The bag’s burlap side is stamped “FEED the Children of the World” and a “1”, signifying that the proceeds will feed one child at school for one year. The white cotton muslin side is similar, but with three 3 useful pockets.

THE FACTS:
Millions of children all over the world receive a free school lunch through WFP’s Food for Education Program, which costs just US$34 for an academic year. Almost 400 million children around the world are chronically hungry. Hunger and malnutrition kill more people than AIDS, malaria, and TB combined. In fact, every five seconds, a child dies because he or she is malnourished.

For hungry children, attending school is often not an option their families can afford. Girls form the majority of the 150 million young children who begin primary school, but have to drop out before completing four years of education – before they can acquire even basic literacy and math skills.

WFP school meals help boost both enrollment and learning – when children are better nourished, they are more attentive. Research has shown that school meals can increase class attendance by 100 percent and improve performance significantly. For many children, the lunchtime meal may be the only one they will receive all day. In 2005 WFP fed 21.7 million children in 74 countries.

For updates on the FEED Project go to www.worldfeedbag.org 
For more information or to make a donation please visit: www.wfp.org or www.friendsofwfp.org

Pamela Pekerman, Bag Guru