Shedd's Spread Country Crock Believes that Charity Begins at Home

"Spread the Sharing." That is what Shedd's Spread Country Crock has named a program aimed at helping American families. Along with America's Second Harvest, Shedd's Spread Country Crock is living its philosophy that "sharing starts at home" by doing its part to help end hunger in America.

According to a spokesperson at America's Second Harvest, Shedd's Spread Country Crock kicked off the relationship by contributing the equivalent of one million meals for needy Americans. At the Shedd's Spread Country Crock site, a gauge indicates that an additional 274,108 meals have been added to the count since the initial donation. Shedd's Spread Country Crock has set a goal of one million meals by Thanksgiving.

Meals are calculated according to the USDA's guideline that an average meal consists of 1.28 pounds of food. America's Second Harvest writes on its website, "Every dollar you give multiplies to secure and distribute $30 worth of food and groceries for those in great need."

What makes "Spread the Sharing" work? You do. For every story about sharing submitted at the Shedd's Spread Country Crock website, a donation to secure one meal will be made to America's Second Harvest. Imagine the impact this will have if everyone participates. (Associated Content writers should consider this a personal challenge.) Unsure of what to say? Then have a look at the Shedd's Spread Country Crock website to see what others have written.

If feeling warm and fuzzy after doing something good is not enough motivation for you, then perhaps some statistics will speak to your intellectual side. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported that for 2005, eleven percent of American households did not have enough food. To put it another way, 12.6 million households in the United States could not place an adequate amount of food on their tables. To make things worse, 4.4 million of the households had one or more family members who went hungry. These statistics have citizens asking one question - How can this happen in America?

Giving USA reported that for 2006, donations to non-profit organizations increased by 4.2 percent. (The public gave a total of $295 billion in 2006.) Despite the astronomical figures, people are still in need. Thus, American companies, like Shedd's Spread Country Crock, are waking up to the fact that they need to do more. Consumers recognize good corporate citizenship, and they are not afraid to hold a company to the fire if they feel the corporation falls short of social responsibility.

Shedd's Spread Country Crock is reaching out to Americans to enhance their giving experience. So come on America, join Shedd's Spread Country Crock, and help to feed your neighbor. Go to www.spreadthesharing.com, and enter your story now. In turn, Shedd's Spread Country Crock and America's Second Harvest will feed another hungry person today.

"There but for the grace of God go I." John Bradford (1510 - 1555)

Sources:
Spread the Sharing, Shedd's Country Crock URL: http://www.spreadthesharing.com/SharingSpecialTimes/ Accessed July 5, 2007

America's Second Harvest URL: http://www.secondharvest.org/ Accessed July 5, 2007

Mark Nord, Margaret Andrews, and Steven Carlson, "Household Food Security in the United States, 2005," United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) URL: http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/err29/ Accessed July 5, 2007

Giving USA, "U.S. charitable giving reaches $295.02 billion in 2006" URL: http://www.givingusa.org/press_releases/gusa/20070625.pdf Accessed July 5, 2007