Hashtag Lunchbag

1 in 6 Michigan residents struggle with hunger. In the City of Flint, 41.6% of residents are living at or below poverty level. There is no hard data to indicate exactly how many people are missing meals on a frequent basis but there is a growing movement aiming to end hunger, one lunch bag at a time.

I spoke with Tynee Sims of #HashtagLunchbag Flint and she shared the organization’s mission and background with me. #HashtagLunchbag is a social movement that started in Los Angeles on Christmas in 2012. A group of friends were searching for a way to give back to the community in a meaningful way. Their actions took social media by storm and they dubbed the movement #HashtagLunchbag.

The concept of #HashtagLunchbag came to Flint when marketing manager Chuniq Impower gathered a few of her close friends with the goal of feeding the underserved in our community while raising awareness through social media. Since coming together in March of 2014, #HashtagLunchbag Flint has hosted 5 events and served over 4,000 lunches in the community. Not only do their lunch bags include things like sandwiches, water and fruit but also inspirational hand-written notes designed to uplift and encourage.

There are a few different ways you can join #HashtagLunchbag in their hunger-ending mission. Join us on June 18th at The Local 432 located at 124 W. 1st street in Flint Mi from 10:00am until 1:00 pm and assist with sandwich making, inspirational note writing or distribution. Can’t make the event? You can still make an impact by making a monetary donation here.

On Saturday June 18th I will be joining #HashtagLunchbag as they do their part by serving our community. I hope to see you there!