Sponsored by YMCA September is Hunger Action Month. While hunger cannot always be easy to recognize, it is all around us. Of San Diego County’s 3.2 million residents, 450,000 people face food insecurity each day. The term “food insecurity” means that little or no food is available at home. In fact, according to the San Diego Hunger Coalition, one out of every five children in San Diego don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Stacey McDaniel, the Anti-Hunger Initiatives Specialist for YMCA, joins our Laura Cavanaugh to share important information about child hunger and initiatives designed to help kids grow, learn and thrive. “We think every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive. But we know when kids are hungry, they can’t focus. They’re distracted. They can’t do as well in school, have more behavior problems,” said McDaniel. Children need sufficient daily nutrition to reach their full potential. California is the first state in the country to implement a statewide universal meals program. Regardless of income, K-12 students are eligible for breakfast and lunch at no cost this school year. The California Universal Meals Program is a huge win to have healthy, free meals for students. The YMCA helps to shore up the food ecosystem, partnering with organizations and non-profits to fill the gaps to provide nutrition and food distribution programs during non-school hours. READ MORE: https://www.cbs8.com/article/entertainment/television/programs/san-diego-living/kids-need-good-nutrition-to-grow-learn-and-thrive-ymca/509-9af02961-487f-45c4-beb8-d94ebe5f9b1d