Teaching Compassion: How to Talk to Your Kids About Hunger

As we seek to build more opportunities for service at LuHi, we invite your family to engage in conversation about our upcoming Meal Packing event. Thanks to the generosity of donors, all LuHi students, staff, and faculty will participate in this multi-day event, where thousands of meals will be packed in the Visscher Gym to support those facing food insecurity in our local community.

To prepare our hearts and minds, this Friday, February 7, we will take part in our annual Eat Simply So Others Can Simply Eat day. On this day, our cafeteria will serve only lunch, with a simple meal of pasta and water as the only option. The meal will cost $5 (cash only).

The purpose of Eat Simply So Others Can Simply Eat is to reflect on our many blessings and remember those who do not always have enough to eat. On Long Island, about 221,000 individuals struggle with food insecurity, including 65,000 children (licares.org). That means thousands of families are unsure where their next meal will come from. More than 1 in 5 adults worry about affording nutritious food (hwcli.com). This is a problem that affects neighbors, classmates, and members of our own community.

By voluntarily choosing a simpler meal, we gain a deeper appreciation for the struggles many face daily. This small act of sacrifice helps us grow in empathy and service, reinforcing the importance of LuHi’s vision to create compassionate leaders. Please take some time in the coming days to discuss upcoming events and help your child to understand the place of the simple meal.

How to Start the Conversation

Here are some questions and discussion ideas to help your family talk about food insecurity:

  • “What does it feel like when you’re really hungry?”
    Help kids relate by asking how they feel when they skip a meal. Then, explain that some people feel that way often because they don’t have enough food.
  • “Why do you think some families don’t always have enough food?”
    Discuss reasons like job loss, high food prices, or unexpected emergencies.
  • “How do we decide what food we eat each day? What if we didn’t have those choices?”
    Talk about the importance of access to nutritious food and how hunger limits options.
  • “What are some ways we can help?”
    Brainstorm ways to take action, such as donating to food pantries, volunteering, or participating in events like LuHi’s Meal Packing.
Join LuHi’s Meal Packing Event – March 9-11

One way to turn this conversation into action is by joining LuHi’s Annual Meal Packing Event, happening March 9-11, 2025. Over three days, students, families, and community members will pack 150,000 meals for local food pantries and international partners.

How You Can Participate:

  • Pack meals as a family
  • Get a group of friends together
  • Sign up with your workplace or church
  • Donate to help LuHi students pack

The cost to participate is $70 per person, covering the ingredients for the meals. Your time and support will directly impact those in need.

Register today and make a difference! Learn more at LuHi’s Meal Packing Page.

By having these conversations and taking action together, we can help our children grow into compassionate, service-minded individuals while making a real impact in the fight against hunger.