Credit: DisneyDisney is feeding a lot of hungry Americans this year, along with The Bear.
The Walt Disney Company has done a lot of good work in the world in its century of existence and brought a lot of joy into the lives of Guests visiting the Disney Parks, theaters, live shows, and just being in the world in general. Disney has done a little bit more this year and recruited one of the most critically acclaimed and popular shows on the air right now to help feed hungry people.
Credit: Hulu
Per Good Morning America, Disney has teamed up with the hunger-relief charity Feeding America and the cast of Hulu’s culinary comedy-drama The Bear to visit partner food banks across the country and raise awareness of food scarcity.
Related: Disney+ Deleting Content in America, Increasing It in Asia
Food Insecurity Is Worse for Children in Summer
Sadly, children in need of regular nutrition often have a more difficult time in summer, when schools are not in session, and many low-income families cannot depend on meals being provided there. Feeding America estimates that nearly 50 million Americans turned to food banks for support in 2022 after the Covid-19 pandemic led to widespread unemployment and food insecurity.
Even before that, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says an estimated 13.5 million households were food insecure in 2021. Clearly, this is a serious issue.
Disney, The Bear, and Feeding America are visiting food banks in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York in order to raise awareness of food insecurity and scarcity, an enormously beneficial thing for fundraising and support of those in need.
Credit: Hulu
‘The Bear’ Follows a Fictional Chicago Restaurant
The Bear premiered in 2022 on the Disney-owned streaming platform Hulu to rapturous critical praise; both season 1 and season 2 hold perfect 100% Critics Scores on Rotten Tomatoes. Additionally, both seasons of the show have broken Hulu records for viewership, making it one of the rare shows to achieve a breakthrough with both audiences and critics.
The series follows Michelin-star chef Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allan White) as he returns to his brother’s Chicago sandwich shop in the wake of his death and his struggles with the restaurant, the staff, and his goal of elevating the cuisine. Along with White, the show stars Ebon Moss-Bachrach as his friend and “cousin” Ritchie, Ayo Edebiri as his protege and sous chef Sydney, Lionel Boyce as aspiring baker Marcus Brooks, Liza Colón Zayas as tough line cook, Tina Marrero, and Abby Elliott as Carmy’s sister Natalie.
Related: Bear Relocated After Encounter With Walt Disney World Guest
Liza Colón Zayas told Good Morning America that, “Sometimes we had to go to the community center to get our staples just to get through or rely on family members. And during the summers, if I wasn’t in some kind of summer program, that’s often where during the day I would get healthy snacks or juices… These things matter, it makes all the difference. So I’m so grateful for all of you who are supporting programs like that, we need them.”
What can be done more to combat food insecurity for children? Tell us in the comments below!