The OFL Challenge

If you've been following this blog long, you may have seen me posting about Operation Feed The Lambs or even the Operation Feed The Lambs 6 Week Challenge.  

 Well guys, the challenge has been a bust.  I literally had no one link up.  No one sent me any stats.  I've seen the button around the bloggy world and that means a lot to me - but buttons don't feed babies. 

 I'll be honest - I haven't really gotten my act together either.  I've raised a total of $28.  And all but $7 of those have come from me donating the profit equivalent of a giveaway item from my Hunger Line.  Why nothing more?  Because summer is tough.  Summer is busy. 

And I figure, if summer is rough for me - it's probably rough for everyone.  Also, children don't just starve for 6 weeks.  They starve every single day of every year.  So why put an end to the challenge?

 Therefore guys, I'm extending the deadline for the Operation Feed The Lambs Challenge  - indefinitely.  I'll never take that ticker down.  I'll never stop reminding you all about OFL and what we're trying to do.  So if you missed the first 6 weeks, now is the time to get on board!  Once again, here are the details:

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The most helpless feeling in the world, for a parent, is being unable to relieve the suffering of a child.  Fortunately, America is a country of vast resources.  True, even in our privileged society children go hungry and fall prey to terrible illnesses.  But these tragedies are magnified tenfold in countries that are overrun with poverty.

Not long ago stories and images flooded the news channels about parents in the Horn of Africa having to leave behind children who were too weak to walk as they made long voyages seeking food and aid after a famine.  I can't begin to fathom how difficult that decision must have been.  I'd like to think that this was an isolated incident due to unpredictable circumstances.   Unfortunately, that isn't the case.

According to Thinkquest*, 15 million children die each year from hunger.

Bread.org estimates that 925 million people suffer from hunger and malnutrition worldwide.

The World Food Project claims that hunger kills more people each year than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined!

And the most tragic of all - Thinkquest claims that most of the world's hunger and sanitation problems could be solved for the cost of what people in developed countries spend on perfume in just one year. 

But it isn't enough to think "oh, sure, I could give up this perfume bottle to feed a kid."  Someone has to match the willing donors to the need.  Someone has to inform people that there is a need in the first place.  I'm sure we're all aware of hunger.  But in a society where many of us are relatively well fed, it's hard to really comprehend the level of starvation occurring in the world.

I have a "Cause" section in my menu that highlights many great causes that are worth fighting for.  I've been posting lately that I don't have the time or resources to take on every cause as my own, so I share them with you there.  But this one - hunger, starvation, malnourished children - this is MY cause.

And I want to invite you to join me in the fight to bring food to children in need.  If we can ease the suffering of even a few children - if we can abate the heartache of a few parents - that is my goal.  So, I am officially issuing the

Operation Feed The Lambs Challenge

How much money can we in the bloggerverse raise to help end child starvation?  Will you join me in raising some funds?  Here are the details

1) Plan out a fundraiser.  It can be as simple as hitting up your friends for spare change, or as complicated as organizing a 5K.  Whatever you're good at, start there.

2) Start a Hunger Line.  Are you an etsy shop owner?  Consider starting a Hunger Line.  Choose one item (or type of item) and donate 100% of profits from that one item to fighting hunger.  Be sure to tag your item with Hunger Line - lets see if we can start an etsy trend!

3) Be a media maven! Tweet about the OFL challenge, post on your facebook page, write up a blog post or grab this button for your side bar

<div align="center"><a href="http://babystuffilove.blogspot.com/search/label/Operation%20Feed%20The%20Lambs" title="Operation Feed The Lambs"><img src="http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee435/mrscat206/EndHungerbutton-1.jpg" alt="Operation Feed The Lambs" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

4) Link up.  We have a linky for your Hunger Line here, and another linky for your project posts here.  I'll be sure to keep the linky active so we can all check out each other's projects!

5) Donate.  Then take those dollars you've raised and donate them. Any charity that turns that money into food will do. Already have a favorite organization? Great! If not, you might want to consider some of these:

Feed The Children
Children's Hunger Relief Fund
Children's Hunger Fund
Heifer International
World Food Programme
World Vision

Do a little research, pick the one that's right for you, and help feed those babies! Once you've donated your funds, if you feel comfortable, send me your total and I'll add it to the ticker.  Let's make that mercury rise!!

Are you in?  Do you have any questions?  Have a project idea, charity, or story you really want to share?  Feel free to comment below, or email me at stuffilove.and.mimibaby@gmail.com!



*Facts as of 1997