“O beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain. For purple mountains majesty, above the fruited plain.” Almost everyone recognizes the opening stanza of the song “America the Beautiful.” The original lyrics were written in 1893 by poet and English professor Katharine Lee Bates and were later set to music by church organist and composer Samuel A. Ward. The stanza speaks of abundance and of America’s role in feeding the world. Unfortunately, not every American benefits from those amber waves of grain. Joseph Llobrera and Luis Nuñez, research analysts at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities explain, “Food is an essential human need, and even more so for infants and toddlers during the critical early months of rapid growth and development. The United States has the resources to ensure everyone has enough to eat. Yet millions of people across the U.S. experience food insecurity, meaning they struggle to afford enough food for an active, healthy life year-round. In 2023, the most recent data available, 33.6 million adults and 13.8 million children — including nearly 2 million children under 3 years old — lived in food-insecure households, meaning more than 1 in 8 households (13.5 percent) in the U.S. had difficulty acquiring food due to lack of resources.”[1]

Although the above image shows that some states are doing better than others, the food insecurity challenge touches every community. Last year Axios published an interactive graphic mapping childhood food insecurity across the country.[2] The map shows that every state and county in the country has a food insecurity challenge, with over 40% of the children in some counties facing food insecurity. As staff members at No Kid Hungry explain, “For so many children to go without adequate food in the United States is a tragedy — and a crisis.”[3] The No Kid Hungry staff reports that when the Covid pandemic struck, the country came together to help one another and, as a result, “in 2021 we saw record-low food insecurity among families with children.” They add, “That’s because communities, lawmakers and people across the United States came together to take care of one another. We enacted effective government programs to help struggling kids and families, from expanded SNAP grocery benefits to help parents buy groceries to tax credits that helped families pay bills. These policies matter. But we didn’t keep it up. Congress discontinued investment in many of these critical programs — and now we see the results.”

Since Congress is unlikely to restore those critical programs, starting tomorrow, the Albertsons Companies Foundation is launching a first-of-its-kind campaign called “Nourish the American Dream,” to help end childhood hunger across the U.S.[4] The Foundation’s staff notes that the campaign “is rooted in the belief that every child shall have the nourishment to participate, thrive and pursue the American Dream.” Together with more than 250 nonprofit partners, national brands and supporters, this multi‑year movement aims to raise $5 million from July 1‑7 for childhood hunger relief. To reach this goal, the Foundation is working with a coordinated network of nonprofit organizations, including Feeding America®, Food Research and Action Center, Gift Card Bank, Hunger Free America, Move for Hunger, No Kid Hungry, Partnership for a Healthier America and WhyHunger. The Foundation will provide a matching commitment of up to $2.5 million, doubling qualifying donations made to those organizations between July 1-7.

The Albertsons Companies Foundation staff is well aware that $5 million is not enough money to eliminate food insecurity in America. That’s why the campaign will continue into the future. Christy Duncan Anderson, president and executive director of the Foundation, notes, “When nourished, America’s children experience the joy of growing, learning and becoming all they are meant to be. When we help end childhood hunger, we unlock a future defined by possibility, strength and shared prosperity. ‘Nourish the American Dream’ is the start of a multi‑year movement to make that future possible for every child.”[5]

To add a bit of fun to the money-raising campaign, TV personality and campaign spokesperson, Maria Lopez, will host the Dream Pantry Auction, “a one-of-a-kind charitable fundraiser designed to engage the general public in this national movement. … The auction will feature everyday pantry staples turned into one-of-a-kind collectibles signed by celebrities and notable figures including Stephen Curry, Robert Downey Jr., Livvy Dunne, Tony Hawk, and Christina Milian. From July 1-7, consumers can bid on these unique collectibles with proceeds going directly to support childhood hunger relief nationwide.” Lopez adds, “A signed pantry item like a box of cereal or peanut butter may sound unexpected, but that’s the point. It’s a powerful, and fun, way to support a great cause while owning a unique collectible and conversation piece. Every bid helps to make sure that more children have access to food this summer, and I can’t wait to see how many people participate.”

The staff at Feeding America writes, “Getting enough food is an important first step to ensuring kids can achieve their goals.”[6] The last stanza of “America the Beautiful” states, “O beautiful for patriot dream that sees beyond the years. Thine alabaster cities gleam undimmed by human tears!” The “Nourish the American Dream” campaign is aimed at helping children pursue their dreams and stopping the human tears brought on by childhood hunger. You can help make that happen. Please donate.

Footnotes

[1] Joseph Llobrera and Luis Nuñez, “Nearly 2 Million Young Children in the U.S. Lived in Food-Insecure Households in 2023,” Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 15 September 2025.

[2] Alex Fitzpatrick, “Childhood food insecurity across America, mapped,” Axios, 14 May 2025.

[3] Staff, “How Many Kids in the United States Live With Hunger?” No Kid Hungry, 8 January 2026.

[4] Staff, “Albertsons® Companies Foundation Unites 250+ Nonprofits in First-of-Its-Kind Nationwide Campaign for Childhood Hunger Relief,” Albertsons Companies, 22 June 2026.

[5] Staff, “Albertsons Launches ‘Nourish the American Dream’ Hunger Campaign,” The Shelby Report, 22 June 2026.

[6] Staff, “Child hunger keeps kids from reaching their full potential,” Feeding America.