Hatch, a SheKnows Media program that empowers kids to use media and technology to express themselves in productive ways, announced Monday that it has teamed with Unilever Project Sunlight on The Hunger Project, an initiative that strives to help families build awareness and take action to address child hunger in America.
An estimated 16 million— or one in five — children in the United States are living in “food insecure” households — enough to fill 18,000 school buses and 223 football stadiums. According to the USDA, it takes $36.50 per week to feed a single child who’s living in a food-insecure household that adheres to the Thrifty Food Plan. Startling statistics such as these can be difficult to comprehend for the remaining 80% of kids who don’t face food insecurity.
SheKnows Media, a top women’s digital lifestyle media company, kicked off The Hunger Project with its first Hatch Hunger video, sponsored by Unilever Project Sunlight. In it, members of the Hatch program are challenged to buy a week’s worth of food for only $36.50, balancing their purchases with Healthy Eating Plate guidelines comprised of the four food groups.
The video is accompanied by a downloadable discussion guide to help adults make child hunger more relevant and relatable to younger audiences.
As part of the two-week campaign, SheKnows Media says it will call on its leading national influencer network, including a group of 20 top content creators and social media influencers, to generate wide-scale distribution of The Hunger Project and Unilever Project Sunlight’s Share A Meal effort— a joint initiative with Feeding America and actor Josh Duhamel, launched in October.
“Hatch is defined as ‘content made for grown-ups, by kids with a mission.’ It teaches children how to express themselves digitally in responsible and safe ways that speak to their individuality and unique perspectives. It also gives adults a framework for engaging kids in conversations that provoke thought on important social issues,” said Samantha Skey, Chief Revenue Officer, SheKnows Media. “That’s why we are thrilled to partner with Unilever Project Sunlight, whose goals perfectly align with Hatch and The Hunger Project mission, which is to underscore the need for everyone — young and old — to do their part in ensuring that no child goes hungry.”
The Hunger Project also marks the first-ever campaign collaboration for SheKnows Media and BlogHer, a leading cross-platform media network created by and for women in social media. Through its acquisition of BlogHer in early November, SheKnows now reaches an unduplicated 75.3 million unique visitors per month, which is more than the current number-one women’s lifestyle media brand (comScore, Multiplatform Lifestyles Rankings, September 2014). It also gives the combined company access to a 20,500-member strong influencer program and an unprecedented 147.4 million social media fans and followers.
“This type of program with Unilever Project Sunlight demonstrates the power of what SheKnows Media now brings to bear in the market,” Skey said. “Joining forces with BlogHer ensures that we offer the largest influencer network available online. That, in combination with our innovative platforms like Hatch, gives brands the unique opportunity to authentically propagate their messages at scale, as well as connect with the consumer in new and more meaningful ways.”
Jonathan Atwood, VP of Sustainable Living and Corporate Communications at Unilever, North America, added, “Unilever Project Sunlight was created on the premise that even the smallest act can make a difference when multiplied over time. We’re encouraging people to Share A Meal and join our commitment to help end child hunger in America. SheKnows Media and its innovative Hatch program is an excellent partner to help us continue to inspire and empower the new leaders who have new visions for a brighter future, and who want to make a positive impact in their communities.”
Spread the word about The Hunger Project using #HatchKids and #ShareAMeal.