The financial crisis in the U.S., along with rising food and energy prices, is increasing the already alarming rates of U.S. hunger. Media coverage of this issue has not been significant. Nearly one in every five U.S. children are in poverty, of which hunger in some degree is an accompanying symptom. The relationship between U.S. hunger organizations and public policy impact reached a plateau some time ago, with no significant new funding or programs. Indeed, the mantra, pushed from the White House to the Congress, and often adopted by hunger organizations themselves, has been that U.S. hunger is best solved through private charity, individual, corporate and to some extent, government partnerships—which is in effect saying there is no commitment or money from the federal government to end hunger. However, it appears clear that only a national government commitment can end hunger, and that the rest is a diversion from reality. Many corporate sponsors and food companies appear to use the issue to further their own public relations. Such contributions and those of individuals help, but they could only feed all hungry Americans for a few days. Further, a number of hunger groups have received huge donations from Big Tobacco and its subsidiaries over the years. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society noted on tobacco money for health research, “If you’re using blood money, you need to tell people you’re using blood money.” The World Health Organization recently noted unless drastic measures are taken, tobacco companies will kill a billon people this century, especially the poor, women and children, and are a major impediment to accomplishing the UN millennium goals of reducing hunger, poverty, infant mortality, improving maternal health, insuring environmental sustainability, combating disease and so on. Planet Earth Foundation, which created World Campaign, attempted nearly two decades ago to convince hunger organizations that taking tobacco funds was morally indefensible and strategically suicidal. For these and other reasons, U.S. hunger has become one of many problems that people contribute to, but has lost all urgency as a major political issue. National programs to end U.S. hunger are widely understood in terms of what would be effective, requiring a relatively small amount of additional funds. Lisa Blume, the co-founder of World Campaign, spearheaded public service media campaigns through Planet Earth Foundation’s Campaign To End Hunger on effective maternal, infant and childhood nutrition programs nationwide from the late 1980’s through the early 2000’s. When interviewed in the news media, Blume noted that “the fact that people don’t see it (U.S. hunger) negates the fact that it exists.” Do you agree that in order to make ending hunger in America a national public policy priority, public awareness and commitment are likely pre-requisites, which require ongoing, accurate and effective media information reaching the U.S. public?