There's a certain magic during the holiday season that can often be seen in the eyes of children — and in a small number of adults who refuse to let the Grinch creep into their lives. It's the kind of magic that spreads unrestricted, with no religious or cultural boundaries to muddy up those intense feelings of happiness, togetherness and generosity.

Unfortunately, there also is a less magical side to the season, manifested in the form of hunger.

After reading reports of the death of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il earlier this week, I was disturbed by how many news outlets insisted on referring to him as someone who allowed his people to starve while pouring billions of dollars into his country's military might.

I wasn't disturbed by the statement itself — it's a truism, and a sad one. What struck me was the context I discovered forming in my own mind as I watched the "breaking news" unfold for three solid days: As a nation, we decry a tyrant who would let his own people starve to death in the wake of his lust for power. But at the same time, in the present-day United States of America, 16.2 million kids — that's 1 in 5 little ones — struggle with hunger and food insecurity every day, according to the latest statistics on household food security released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In August, the Food Research and Action Center reported that 28.3 percent of New Mexico families with children had difficulty getting food on the table in 2010. According to the center's findings, New Mexico had the 12th highest rate of food hardship among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. More than 28 percent of New Mexico families with children and 16.5 percent of New Mexico families without children experienced some form of food-related hardship last year.

Now, I don't want to be the Fork that spoiled Christmas or Hanukkah or Winter Solstice or Kwanzaa or Festivus or anything else that may contribute to one's seasonal joy. Millions of Americans and thousands of New Mexico residents make sacrifices with their time and money every day to help the homeless and hungry, and that dedication and selflessness are what keep the magic of the season alive for me year-round.

We can't rescue everyone from hunger in this country overnight, nor should that expectation ever be considered a realistic goal.

But we can, as a country and as a state, do more, especially for our children. Each of those 16.2 million kids has no control over his or her food security, and hunger's lingering physical, mental and emotional consequences for children are nightmarish.

According to Share Our Strength, a national organization that works to end childhood hunger in the United States (www.strength.org), children who struggle with hunger are ill more often, recover more slowly, and are more likely to be hospitalized.

They are also more likely to experience headaches, stomachaches, colds, ear infections and fatigue. And hungry kids are more susceptible to obesity and its far-reaching health detriments.

Contact Rob DeWalt at rdewalt@sfnewmexican.com or on twitter at twitter.com/sfnmTASTE.

SLURPY NEW YEAR!

And don't forget to purchase tickets for The Food Depot's upcoming Souper Bowl XVII, the annual fundraiser for the food bank that pits chef against chef, restaurant against restaurant, and caterer against caterer for bragging rights in Best Cream Soup, Best Savory Soup, Best Seafood Soup, Best Vegetarian Soup, and Overall Best Soup categories. During last year's event, which more than 1,200 people attended, The Food Depot grossed more than $83,000 for New Mexico hunger-relief. Souper Bowl takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 28 at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center, 201 W. Marcy St.

Tickets will be available in advance at The Food Depot beginning Jan. 3. You can order tickets on the Food Depot website soon (the ticket link will be operational by Dec. 28, according to The Food Depot Executive Director Sherry Hooper).

Advanced tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for kids ages 6-12. Tickets also will be available at the door for adults ($30) and children under 13 ($10).

HOW YOU CAN HELP

The Food Depot, Northern New Mexico’s food bank, accepts donations year-round. During the holidays, The New Mexican sponsors a food drive to collect nonperishable goods for the depot, 1222 Siler Road. The food bank, which serves an estimated 40,000 New Mexico residents (40 percent of whom are younger than 18), is in need of canned vegetables and fruits, soups, dried beans, canned meats, pasta and rice, cranberry sauce, pumpkin, canned yams and stuffing mixes. Any canned foods are appreciated, and a special request has been made for sealed jars of peanut butter — the healthier, the better.

The New Mexican will continue to collect donations for The Food Depot through Dec. 30. Please drop donations off at our downtown office, 202 E. Marcy St., during regular business hours. The Food Depot needs its shelves stocked year-round and always welcomes financial and food donations, as well as volunteers to help throughout the organization. Visit www.thefooddepot.org or call 471-1633 for more information on donation and volunteer opportunities.