One of YouTube's funniest and wisest kids is using his fame to spread awareness about an important topic: child hunger in the U.S.
Robby Novak, better known as Kid President, is teaming up with ConAgra Foods to host a summer-long "Tell-A-Thon," encouraging people to tell others how child hunger in America increases during the summer, when kids no longer have access to free and reduced-price school meals.
The "Tell-A-Thon," which will kick off via a YouTube live stream on Wednesday, aims to shed light on the rarely discussed topic, hoping to get 22 million people talking -- the same number of children who rely on school lunches every year in the U.S. During the summer, 80% of those 22 million kids are often left wondering about their next meals.
This is the second time ConAgra Foods and the ConAgra Foods Foundation have partnered with Kid President -- last year, they collaborated on a video to introduce the issue many people don't know about.
This year, they're hoping to go even further, using the "Tell-A-Thon" to encourage more people to actually get involved in their own communities.
"The more we can talk about it, the more we can shed light on it and find a solution," Lanie Friedman, director of communication and external relations at ConAgra Foods, told Mashable. "Hunger is often unseen in the U.S. It's invisible. ... But it's something that has a huge need in the U.S., not just globally. We have a huge problem here, and we as a company believe in solving that."
The ConAgra Foods Foundation has worked with U.S. hunger relief charity Feeding America on its Hunger Free Summer Program for the past six years, and will donate $700,000 worth of grants to participating food banks throughout the country this year. It's all part of the ConAgra Foods Foundation's $10 million, three-year commitment to Feeding America. (Since 1993, ConAgra Foods Foundation has donated $45 million to the organization).
"There are few ways we're encouraging people to get involved. Of course, the easiest way is to help spread our message, which is making sure people are even aware this is a problem in the U.S., and that there are resources people can go to during the summer to help -- American food banks that all have summer programs," Friedman said.
Something special is coming next week and we can’t do it without you. Are you ready to be part of something Fantabulous?— Kid President (@iamkidpresident) June 7, 2015
Anyone -- kid or adult -- can also go to the "How You Can Help" tab on ConAgra's Child Hunger Ends Here website to find out how they can best get involved in their communities. The Child Hunger Ends Here program also includes images of red pushpins on certain ConAgra food products, signifying that the company will donate to Feeding America for that purchase when you enter the product's code online.
Every Friday this summer (dubbed "Hunger Free Fridays"), ConAgra will double the value -- each of these products will provide two meals to children through Feeding America.
Last day to like/share @iamkidpresident's summer hunger video! @ConAgraFoods will donate 1 meal each time! http://t.co/JKPHc5PbfG— Feeding America E WI (@FeedAmericaWI) July 31, 2014
After the live stream on Wednesday at 1 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. ET, readers can share their own video message or post on social media with the hashtag #HungerFreeSummer.
"I hope this 'Tell-A-Thon' can inspire people everywhere to do something to make sure all kids have exactly what they need to be healthy, happy kids," Brad Montague, co-creator of the Kid President brand, told Mashable.
"There are so many simple yet powerful ways we can all do something to help children ... I hope this can inspire people to look and see and do, because a better world for kids is a better world for everyone."