Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Nation & World

How You Can Help the Hungry

One person can help feed many mouths

Posted May 9, 2008

For the most part, the global food crisis is not a crisis of shortages; it's one of soaring prices. And the result is hundreds of millions of people who are suddenly struggling to feed themselves.

As the crisis strains the resources of humanitarian groups and entire governments, it's hard for individual Americans to know what they can possibly do to alleviate the situation. But there are a few ways that individuals can make a difference in the short term:

Photo Gallery: Global Food Crisis
Food Thumbnail

Donate money. Many relief agencies are seeing budget shortfalls in the millions—if not hundreds of millions—of dollars this year. Many of the largest groups, including Oxfam America, the U.N. World Food Program, and CARE, encourage online donations. Some allow you to select specific projects or efforts.

Support food banks. U.S. food banks are seeing dramatic increases in visitors and shrinking stocks because of reduced contributions. America's Second Harvest, the nation's largest food bank network, features a local food bank locator on its website to guide donors. Some local agencies, such as Detroit's Forgot-ten Harvest, rescue perishable food from supermarkets and restaurants that would otherwise go to waste. They, too, accept monetary donations.

Waste time for a cause. If you can't afford to make donations yourself, a few mouse clicks will instruct others to donate money for you. At freerice.com, visitors can play simple vocabulary games; WFP will donate 20 grains of rice for every correct answer. Another site, thehungersite.com, requires just a click of a button.

Reduce food waste. According to estimates, Americans waste about 100 billion pounds of food annually. Though cutting out waste at home won't directly help feed the hungry elsewhere, Americans can be more conscious about their eating habits. Rather than overbuying, use the money you save to make a donation.

Reward retailers. A number of companies donate money or food to antihunger programs. Chicken of the Sea and Ruby Tuesday have pledged a fraction of their sales to America's Second Harvest. You can find more contributors at secondharvest.org.

Reader Comments

Hope

When we lose hope we lose everything. I will not stop continuing to have hope for humankind. When an opportunity to help others arises I pray that God opens my heart so I will reach out to help those in need. Were is our humanity when we turn our back on those who cry out for our help? Those who sit on their high horses because they were fortunate enough to be born into privledge will one day themselves cry out for help and receive none!

Don't think you're special because you are well fed...that can change in a matter of moments.

I will not STOP the coures of Nature

In 1985 I spent half of the 25,000 my Grandmother left me to support the efforts of LIVE AIDE. It's 2008 and I know for a fact that my money and the money of million of others around the world did NOTHING to help the dying mothers and children of Africa..And this WILL NOT CHANGE! Africa is hanging on by strings and has been for DECADES...YOU CAN NOT DO ANYTHING TO CHANGE IT. Try if you must ...you'll be wasting your time and money.

How You Can Help The Hungry

No argument re our poor, all practicing Christians, whatever understand that we must help our neighbors. But, we cannot carry the entire world on our backs, ala 'the white man's burden's'. the governments in power in the highlighted areas must assume responsibility for their citizens, we cannot/should not relieve them of their legal obligations. Who is your neighbor? The person who stands in front of you with a need that you can fill.

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