Making meals

Actor Jeff Bridges joined Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in Arlington Tuesday afternoon to promote a new campaign to battle childhood hunger. The three spoke to a crowd at Barcroft Elementary promoting Virginia's No Kid Hungry initiative, a public-private partnership linking low-income children to federal nutrition programs.

"Some of you are going to have a very busy future, and so you all need to make sure you're eating right," McDonnell told the students in attendance, according to the Washington Times.

The No Kid Hungry initiative is part of Share Our Strength, a national nonprofit focused on ending childhood hunger in America. The Virginia campaign will connect disadvantaged youths with food programs such as those that provide lunches during summer when school is not in session.

Jeff Bridges, whose film resume includes "Tron," "Crazy Heart," and "The Big Lebowski," serves as the national spokesman for No Kid Hungry.

"I guess a lot of it has to do with my folks," said Bridges when asked why he has been involved in such programs. "My parents were the ones who taught us... that we should take care of each other."

For more than 25 years, Bridges has been involved in programs that combat hunger in the U.S.

"I'm in the entertainment business. I deal with the media a lot," said Bridges. "Maybe I can use my voice to draw attention."

The No Kid Hungry program operates in more than a dozen states with the goal of ending childhood hunger by 2015. Virginia corporate sponsors, who have committed more than $300,000 to the project, include the Walmart Foundation, Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States, and the Sodexo Foundation.

Vilsack said the initiative will search for new ways to make meals convenient for children. In previous years, summer meals have been provided for low-income children by schools, churches and community centers.

"We have to figure out new models," said Vilsack. He added that the project will provide food at various places where children congregate such as pools and ball fields. The Federation of Virginia Food Banks will work to notify families of free summer meal locations. Parents can call 211 to find summer meal locations in their area.

"The reality is that child hunger isn't just an educational issue or a health issue, it's a moral issue," said Gov. McDonnell, according to PR Newswire. "We must do everything we can to make sure our most vulnerable children are getting regular, nutritious meals, especially during the summer when they are most at risk."

According to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report, almost 12 percent of youths in Virginia are not provided proper nutrition. More than 218,000 children and teens face hunger in Virginia, and the problem increases during the summer when school meals are not available.

To learn more about No Kid Hungry, visit their website.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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