It’s simple — all you have to do is eat at Characters after 5 p.m. Tuesday to help take a bite out of hunger.

Characters Restaurant & Bar has joined with the Sloatsburg UMC Food Pantry for a fundraiser to support Rockland Hunger Awareness Month, which was recently proclaimed by County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef. The effort is part of an initiative by members of the Rockland Community Against Hunger (RCAH) to highlight the silent issue of hunger and food insecurity throughout the county.

RCAH estimated that in 2012 some 30,000 people out of the county’s 317,000 population had some kind of run in with food insecurity and hunger, i.e., they often didn’t really know where they might find their next meal. The Sloatsburg UMC Food Pantry serves approximately 130 members twice a month — all families and students within the Ramapo Central and Tuxedo Union Free school districts.

“This is the perfect opportunity to get out and share a great meal with neighbors and friends while supporting a very worthy cause, the Sloatsburg UMC Food Pantry,” said Susan Meyers, director of the Food Pantry.

Characters has joined with other restaurants across the county in supporting local food pantries but is donating a much higher percent of the bill back to the local mission.

People to People, Rockland County’s largest food pantry, will host Hunger Summit 3 all day Wednesday, September 18. The food awareness conference will feature workshops and advocacy initiatives and brings together many of the food pantries and health organizations in the county that work on the issue of hunger.

Tuesday, September 17 after 5 p.m., dine in or carryout and Characters will donate 15% of your food bill to the Food Pantry.

All you have to do is eat to support hunger awareness.

Sloatsburg UMC Food Pantry

The Sloatsburg UMC Food Pantry’s mission is to provide supplemental, nutritionally balanced food to those in need while respecting the dignity of each person we serve. The UMC Food Pantry is located at the Sloatsburg United Methodist Church, 93 Orange Turnpike. Hours of operation are the 2nd & 4th Tuesdays 3-6 PM. Contact: Susan Meyer, Director (914-393-3160).

Rockland County facts:

* It is estimated that 35,000 residents are food insecure. Every month, 20,000 people are served by Rockland’s food pantries.

* In December 2012, there were 43,973 SNAP recipients in Rockland County; it is likely that even more residents are eligible.

* In the 2011-2012 school year, 29.9% of Rockland’s public school students were eligible for the free or reduced price lunch program.

* 11.6% of the county’s population lives below the poverty level.