Two weeks ago, my six-year-old daughter came home from talent show auditions sobbing and inconsolable. She’d expected everyone to clap after her audition and instead the gym was silent. All of my attempts to explain what may have happened – it wasn’t the actual show, people were likely distracted after their turn was up – did nothing to assure her that she had truly done a good job. As a mother, it was excruciating to watch.

But I also knew that this was the first of many disappointments that would come her way; it’s simply a fact of life. And although it broke my heart to see it, at the same time I’m thankful that these are the types of problems she has in her life. Many children are not that lucky.

More than 50 million Americans struggle to put food on the table.

More than 17 million of those affected are children.

I can’t imagine having to put my children to bed hungry. Or going to bed hungry myself so that they could eat. Or choosing between food and shelter. We all have problems and no one’s life is perfect, but when put into perspective, most of us are awfully blessed.

I’m one of six food bloggers who was asked to participate in the Tyson Chicken Sandwich Challenge. The winner of the contest will get a $5,000 donation to their favorite charity, and you guessed it…my charity aims to end childhood hunger in America. Not just help, not just reduce…end it completely.

I first heard about Share Our Strength when I was attending a week-long course at the Culinary Institute of America. One of the chefs there had been telling me about this terrific organization; he was inspired after having attended one of their conferences the weekend before. His passion was contagious, not to mention fortuitous. It was that very afternoon that I received the email asking me to participate in the contest.

I did a bit of research on Share Our Strength and I was immediately hooked. I signed up for the challenge on the spot and signed up Share Our Strength along with me. And now, I’m hoping against hope that my sandwich wins the contest. Five thousand dollars will go to Share Our Strength if it wins…that’s a lot of children with full tummies.

So it would mean the world to me if every person reading this could take a moment to vote. There’s no registering, no filling out annoying forms…just a click and your vote is registered.

Voting is on the right hand side of the page…it is not the Facebook “like” button under the video. Please choose “Kristy Bernardo’s Roasted Pepper & Pesto Sandwich” – it’s served on garlic bread, hello – and click the “Vote” button.

Click here to vote and help get Share Our Strength a $5,000 donation!

You can vote daily through the end of March. Please help me in my quest to help Share Our Strength end childhood hunger in America. No mother should ever have to look their children in the eyes and tell them there isn’t enough food for them. This is America…let’s make it happen!

Thanks so much!