El Camino Restaurant, Brunswick, Maine, owners, (L to R) Paul Comaskey, Eloise Humphrey, and Daphne Comaskey

From Spoon: In a country of so much abundance, it is an outrage that more than 16 million children are at risk for hunger. In Maine, 1 in 4 children is unsure about where their next meal is coming from. We are very proud to be volunteering – me doing publicity, Ted taking photos – with Share Our Strength, Maine, the local chapter of the leading national organization working to end childhood hunger in America. Share Our Strength Maine raises money through chef and restaurant events like Taste of the Nation® and Dine Out For No Kid Hungry®, and with the support of our generous sponsors, administrative costs are kept very low because everything is run by volunteers. Want to get involved, or know more? Visit the Share Our Strength Maine Facebook page.

These photos of chefs and owners were taken by Ted to mimic the national No Kid Hungry campaign with actor Jeff Bridges.

I’ve been met with some skepticism about kids going hungry in Maine because like everywhere else where families live in poverty, we also see children who are obese. Those children may be eating something – $1 meals from McDonald’s, cookies, crackers, chips. Because their bodies are not getting the nutrition they need, they crave more food, so they keep eating whatever is cheap and available – and gaining weight in the process. Share Our Strength helps stock food pantries with nutritious food, but that’s just part of the solution for many families who don’t have cooking knowledge or even access to a full kitchen. Share Our Strength is meeting this vital part of the challenge through the Cooking Matters® program, which teaches families how to prepare healthy meals.

Share Our Strength Maine’s major annual fundraiser is Taste Of The Nation®, scheduled this year for June 24 on at Diamond’s Edge restaurant on Great Diamond Island in Portland Harbor. If you’re planning a trip to Maine this summer, we urge you to schedule it around this spectacular event – you’ll get to experience Maine’s best chefs, restaurants and mixologists in one location, and contribute to a very good cause.

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For all the details on Taste of the Nation® Maine 2012: Continue Reading