More than 50 million Americans turned to hunger relief organizations like Feeding San Diego over the past year, even as more than 120 billion meals worth of food were wasted nationwide. A unique new initiative is helping change that, starting with children, creativity, and a comic book.
Hunger Action Heroes Unite! is both a comic book and an accompanying curriculum designed to teach kids about hunger, food waste, and how they can take meaningful action. The project brings together young creators, a comic book author, and Feeding San Diego to empower children to become real-life heroes in their communities.
The idea for the comic began with an art contest hosted by Feeding San Diego in partnership with the Comic-Con Museum. Students from kindergarten through 12th grade across San Diego County were invited to submit their vision of a hunger-fighting superhero. Over 300 submissions were received, and the top ten were narrowed down for a community vote, which drew over 4,000 participants.
The winning designs became the central characters of the comic book: Hunger Halter, created by 14-year-old Aiden, and Demeter, designed by 17-year-old Sirenna. The comic, created by kids for kids, tells engaging stories while teaching important lessons about hunger and food waste.
“Our ultimate goal is to make Hunger Halter and Demeter household names,” explained the team behind the initiative. “We want everyone to know who these characters are, and teachers and parents can support this by purchasing the comics and curriculum. All proceeds go directly to critical hunger relief and food rescue programs at Feeding San Diego, a partner Food Bank of Feeding America.”
The accompanying curriculum teaches four key lessons: the impact of hunger on health, the environmental consequences of food waste, empathy through social-emotional learning, and empowerment. Each lesson is reinforced through engaging activities, culminating in a project-based learning experience called Become a Hunger Action Hero, where students put their knowledge into action.
One example of the program’s impact comes from Creekside Elementary School. Fourth- and fifth-grade students studied the comic book and curriculum over a month. When devastating wildfires struck Los Angeles, the students immediately took action. They organized a school-wide food drive, collecting over 800 pounds of food, which was donated to the LA Regional Food Bank.
Their efforts did not stop there. In the following months, the students volunteered at Feeding San Diego, helping to sort and glean over 8,000 pounds of produce. By May, they had organized a snack and lemonade stand fundraiser that raised over $900, helping provide more than 9,000 meals and rescuing 10,000 pounds of good food from going to waste.
“This school truly exemplified what it means to be Hunger Action Heroes,” said the team. “Imagine the impact if classrooms across the country were doing the same thing. It’s remarkable.”
Hunger Action Heroes Unite! shows that teaching children about hunger and food waste can lead to tangible change in their communities. The initiative combines creativity, education, and service to empower the next generation to make a real difference.
For teachers, parents, and students interested in participating, the comic book and curriculum are available at HungerActionHeroes.org. By joining the movement, children can learn to be heroes in their own neighborhoods while supporting vital food rescue programs.
This segment is proudly brought to you by Feeding San Diego, where imagination and action come together to fight hunger and food waste. The adventures of Hunger Halter and Demeter are just beginning. They invite more young heroes to join the cause.
