In September 2011, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a study which found that 49 million Americans are food insecure—lacking consistent access to adequate amounts of nutritious food necessary for a healthy life.

16 million are children.

Another recent study discovered that 1-in-6 children under the age of five live at risk of hunger. Children who experience hunger are sick more often, suffer growth and development impairments and struggle with learning because undernutrition harms cognitive development.

With these alarming statistics in mind, beginning today and continuing throughout the week, we will be featuring the stories of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship churches, ministry partners and field personnel that are fighting hunger in their communities.

This blog series—At the Table: Baptists Fight Hunger—kicks off just a day after Christians from across the world joined together at the table to celebrate World Communion Sunday.

Each day this week, we will post three different stories about hunger ministries in more than eight states. Be sure to check back throughout the week to read these thought-provoking stories written by pastors, lay leaders, ministry partners and field personnel in the Fellowship.

The title of this blog series was also partly inspired by the highly recommended documentary A Place at the Table.

Part 1 — At the Table: Baptists Fight Hunger—A CBFblog series 

Part 2 — FBC Winston-Salem feeds bodies and souls with backpack ministry

Part 3 — South Carolina church models missional engagement with God’s Garden

Part 4 — New monastic activist Shane Claiborne spurs rural church to start community garden

Part 5 — How to be missional? Little Rock church hosts Farmers Market

Part 6 — Florida church strives to be presence of Christ and meet needs of their community

Part 7 — The Cleveland County Potato Project

Part 8 — Mosaic Community Garden as a place of acceptance for all

Part 9 — CBF partner Seeds of Hope reflects on long history of hunger ministry

Part 10 — Distributing food with dignity in Eastern North Carolina

Part 11 — 40 years later, FBC Jonesboro still feeding thousands in Arkansas

Part 12 — Westwood Baptist responds to empty shelves at local food pantry

Part 13 — Starting a conversation about nutrition, not just hunger

Part 14 — Richmond’s Huguenot Road Baptist focuses on being Christ’s presence in overlooked places

Part 15 — North Carolina church helps food insecure with soup kitchen and garden

Part 16 — Combating food insecurity in Malawi through access to water

Part 17 — Georgia church follows God’s call to care for poor with ecumenical endeavor

Part 18 — Church launches successful backpack ministry to serve weekend meals to students in 16 schools

Part 19 — Brownies and Parmesan Chicken

Part 20 — Missouri church serves hungry in Kansas City suburbs