As I’m sure you are all aware, there is a crisis going on right now in the Horn of Africa. Over 13 million people have already been affected by the drought, ensuing famine, and starvation. About 30,000 children have died in the past 3 months, and an estimated 600,000 are in danger of starvation. We’ve all heard the numbers, and now it’s time to act!

The fact that thousands of children are dying is just too much for me to handle, without doing anything about it. As a mother of two young children, and as a former student of international child health, I have to do something. My blog encourages people to donate to child hunger organizations all the time, but this is an emergency situation, and thus requires larger action. So, I am calling upon the blogging community to help.

I guess I should introduce myself. I’m Jackie, and I’m the recipe creator, photographer, and writer behind La Casa de Sweets. I focus on classic American, Spanish and international desserts, and sometimes I delve into the land of savory yumminess, too! After baking, my other passion is children. I’m a teacher, taking a break to raise my two little daughters (ages 2 and 8 months). I love kids, so it’s almost unbearable for me to think about children suffering, especially from hunger. That’s why I focus on encouraging my readers to donate to charities that try to end childhood hunger. That’s why I find the images and stories from Somalia and surrounding areas so utterly heartbreaking. I have to act. We have to act.

And, so, I’ve created a fundraiser through Global Giving to help do just that. I thought long and hard about how to raise money, and I believe this is the best way. I’ve spoken to on-the-ground organizations and journalists in the area, and they have assured me that the money we raise will help save lives. I’ve chosen a few crucial projects for our readers to donate to through Global Giving, in the hopes that we can all help save children from starvation.

I really admire and respect Jackie’s tenacity and her commitment to this cause. Be sure to check out her site, because there are dozens of giveaways and prizes to be won! Unfortunately, the prizes are only available to US residents, but that’s good news for about half of the people who read this blog. Prize or no prize, every dollar helps, so if you have a little extra to give, please consider contributing to Jackie’s Global Giving campaign!