September is often associated with the start of the new school year. There’s a wave of excited energy running though students and their families as back to school seasons starts. Students joining a new school or program get to feel a bit of fear and apprehension. Returning students get to feel the joy and warmth that comes from seeing their favorite peers and teachers after weeks of summer. For a significant portion of students, the feeling of hunger underlies every other feeling and everything else they do.

In this day and age, no one needs to go hungry. The global agriculture industry produces more than enough food to feed everyone, but perverse economic and political motives stand in the way of a just distribution causing billions of tons of food to simply go to waste. In fact, since 2014 the number of people going hungry has been on the rise to now include nearly a billion people. While climate change, drought, and conflict play a part in food insecurity the choices of our leaders can exacerbate the issue.

Global hunger is one possible topic for September’s theme, Food Politics,  but we’d like for you to also consider the many positive associations with food. For many, the choice of what foods to eat is a significant part of their cultural identity that they take pride in. Where some might choose to follow a vegan or keto diet others are born into halal or kosher households, but across the board sharing a meal with someone is a sign of inclusion and friendship.

We hope that your meals this month inspire you to create, and in turn that you’ll share those creations with us.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,

The Pandemic Team

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