Taking the Lesson Further: Learning More About Hunger

World Food Programme

Founded: 1961
Mission Statement: WFP pursues a vision of the world in which every man, woman and child has access at all times to the food needed for an active and healthy life. Without food, there can be no sustainable peace, no democracy and no development.

What they are known for: The World Food Programme (WFP) is the United Nations frontline agency mandated to combat global hunger, which afflicts one out of every seven people on earth. WFP reaches more than 90 million people with food assistance in 80 countries each year. In emergencies, WFP is on the frontline, delivering food to save the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters. After the cause of an emergency has passed, WFP uses food to help communities rebuild their shattered lives.

What have they done recently or are currently doing:
In 2012, the hungry people reached included:

• 82.1 million women and children
• 24.7 million children reached through school meals projects
• 15.1 million people who received food as an incentive to build assets or attend training
• 6.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs)
• 2.4 million refugees
• 1.6 million people affected by HIV/AIDS

Food delivered to the hungry people in 2012 totaled 3.5 million metric tons.

• 1.4 million tons came through in-kind donations
• 2.1 million tons were purchased with cash
• US$1.10 billion was spent buying food
• US$844 million spent buying food in 75 developing countries
• 86 percent of food was purchased from developing countries

How can I get involved: WFP has an extensive student and teacher activist network that involves teaching about hunger and fighting hunger. To get involved visit their page here: http://www.wfp.org/students-and-teachers
For more information visit: http://www.wfp.org/

World Hunger Relief

Founded: 2007

Mission Statement: To address hunger on a global scale, Yum! Brands created our annual World Hunger Relief effort to raise awareness, volunteerism and funds for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and other hunger relief organizations.
What they are known for: Yum! Brands’ World Hunger Relief effort is the world’s largest private sector hunger relief initiative, spanning more than 130 countries and territories, approximately 40,000 KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell restaurants and nearly 1.5 million employees.
What have they done recently or are currently doing: Since 2007, Yum! Brand’s World Hunger Relief effort has raised nearly $150 million for WFP and other hunger relief organizations and is helping to provide approximately 600 million meals and save the lives of millions of people in remote corners of the world.

Volunteerism is also a key component of their initiative and since 2007, nearly 1.5 million employees, franchisees and their families have volunteered millions of hours to aid hunger relief efforts in communities worldwide. Volunteers spend their time around the globe at hunger relief agencies, food banks, soup kitchens and launch fundraisers.
How can I get involved: Donations are welcomed by World Hunger Relief. Every U.S. dollar raised will go directly towards WFP’s operations to fight hunger around the world. One U.S. dollar provides four meals for hungry children at school.
For more information visit: http://hungertohope.com/

Feeding America

Founded: 1979 (formerly known as America’s Second Harvest)
Mission Statement: Feeding America’s “… mission is to feed America’s hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and engage our country in the fight to end hunger.”

Link to full mission statement: http://feedingamerica.org/how-we-fight-hunger/about-us/mission-and-values.aspx
What they are known for: Feeding America is the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity. Through the assistance of local and national food assistance programs, Feeding America is able to provide nutritious, fresh foods to Americans struggling with hunger; safe and nurturing places for children to have a meal; emergency assistance for disaster victims; as well as a chance at self-sufficiency for adults trying to break the cycle of poverty and hunger.

Link to Programs and Services: http://feedingamerica.org/how-we-fight-hunger/programs-and-services.aspx
What have they done recently or are currently doing: In 2011, Feeding America restored cuts made to anti-hunger programs in the 2011 House Appropriations Bill, protected SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) from devastating cuts, and passed the Healthy, Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (S. 3307), a piece of legislation providing $4.5 billion in new funding to improve children’s access to healthy meals.
How can I get involved: Feeding America has numerous ways teams can get involved, from donations to virtual food drives. More information is available here: http://feedingamerica.org/ways-to-give.aspx
For more information visit: http://feedingamerica.org/

Share Our Strength No Kid Hungry

Founded: 1984- Share Our Strength is created; 2010- The No Kid Hungry campaign launches
Mission Statement: Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign is ending childhood hunger in America by ensuring all children get the healthy food they need, every day.
What they are known for: The No Kid Hungry campaign connects kids in need with nutritious food and teaches their families how to cook healthy, affordable meals. The campaign also engages the public to make ending childhood hunger a national priority.

The campaign works to shine a national spotlight on the crisis of childhood hunger in America, creating a powerful movement of individuals committed to bold action. It builds partnerships that enlist influential individuals in the cause and advocate policy changes needed to achieve its goals.
What have they done recently or are currently doing: The No Kid Hungry campaign fights hunger through the following steps:

1. Access: The No Kid Hungry Network connects kids to effective nutrition programs.
2. Education: The Cooking Matters program educates and empowers low-income families to stretch their food budgets so their kids get healthy meals at home.
3. Awareness: The No Kid Hungry campaign works to shine a national spotlight on the crisis of childhood hunger in America.

Link to more information about its programs: http://www.nokidhungry.org/about-us/programs
How can I get involved: The No Kid Hungry campaign invites teams to join their network of activists and find local and national organizations committed to fighting hunger. To join or learn more visit: http://actioncenter.nokidhungry.org/
For more information visit: http://www.nokidhungry.org/

Freerice.com

Founded: 2007
Mission Statement: Freerice is a non-profit website run by the United Nations World Food Programme. It has two goals:

1. Provide education to everyone for free.
2. Help end world hunger by providing rice to hungry people for free.

What they are known for: Freerice is a free-to-play online game that allows players to indirectly donate rice to charities by playing multiple-choice quiz games. For every question the user answers correctly, 10 grains of rice are donated to the World Food Programme. The game combines learning with giving.
What have they done recently or are currently doing: The most common countries receiving rice are Bangladesh, Cambodia, Bhutan, Uganda, and Nepal, even though Freerice can travel all over the world. Following the earthquake in Haiti, nearly 6 billion grains of rice were donated to help communities there. As of April, 2013, over 99 billion grains of rice have been donated through the game. They also have over 1.3 million registered players and have managed to raise enough rice to feed almost 5 million people.
How can I get involved: It’s pretty simple to get involved with Freerice- just take their quizzes to donate grains of rice.
For more information visit: http://freerice.com/

Meals on Wheels Association of America

Founded: 1954
Mission Statement: To provide national leadership to end senior hunger.
What they are known for: Providing hot meals to homebound senior citizens in communities across the country, which allows them to remain independent in their homes longer. Meals on Wheels also advocates for seniors’ rights, nutrition and health.
What have they done recently or are currently doing: Meals on Wheels has helped launch the National Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging, which helps cultivate innovative ideas on healthy eating and aging in the U.S. In addition, March for Meals, held every March, helps raise awareness of senior nutritional needs through celebrations in cities across the country.
How can I get involved: Those who want to be actively involved can find a Meals on Wheels organization in their community to help prepare and deliver meals, and provide companionship to seniors in their homes. The organization also encourages those who can to donate, or to help them raise awareness by engaging with them on Facebook or Twitter.
For more information visit: http://www.mowaa.org/

The Hunger Project

Founded: 1977
Mission Statement: To end hunger and poverty by pioneering sustainable, grassroots, women-centered strategies and advocating for their widespread adoption in countries throughout the world.
What they are known for: Grassroots efforts in countries around the world where hunger is prevalent, teaching residents to become self-reliant, meet their nutritional needs and those of their family. THP focuses on activating women as agents of change, using them to educate their communities and families.
What have they done recently or are currently doing: THP is working on creating more “epicenter communities,” which construct small villages around community centers where individuals can learn to be self-sustaining and can then teach others to do the same.
How can I get involved: THP has a Youth in Action program that encourages young people to raise funds and awareness for the organization in their schools. They suggest bake sales, penny harvests, or involvement with FeelGood, an offshoot organization that raises funds by selling gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches.
For more information visit: http://www.thp.org/

Oxfam

Founded: 1995
Mission Statement: The purpose of Oxfam is to help create lasting solutions to the injustice of poverty. Oxfam is part of a global movement for change, one that empowers people to create a future that is secure, just, and free from poverty.
What they are known for: Oxfam works with thousands of partner organizations to aid people living in poverty striving to exercise their human rights, assert their dignity as full citizens and take control of their lives.
What have they done recently or are currently doing: Oxfam helps to develop communities in poverty, giving citizens tools and resources to better themselves and their families. They provide emergency assistance to disaster-stricken areas, work to stop the spread of HIV and AIDS, fight for gender equality and minority rights, and advocate for policies that fight poverty and injustice.
How can I get involved: Oxfam’s GROW initiative is a hunger-centric campaign that focuses on nutrition in under-developed areas. Oxfam encourages people to get involved by spreading awareness, blogging, and sharing a video about GROW via social media.
For more information visit: http://www.oxfam.org/

Feed One

Founded: 1994
Mission Statement: FeedOne, through its parent organization Convoy of Hope, has served more than 55 million people throughout the world through international children’s feeding initiatives, community outreaches, disaster response and partner resourcing.
What they are known for: FeedOne encourages people to donate just $10 to feed one hungry child, as it is a manageable amount for most people to give. FeedOne then prepares meals that are shipped to hungry children all over the world.
What have they done recently or are currently doing: FeedOne has launched a text donation campaign that allows people to give from their phones, with the donation appearing on their next phone bill. They also ask people to donate their tweet or profile pics to raise awareness of the organization via social media.
How can I get involved: Individuals can text to donate or use social media to raise awareness, while school groups can become a FeedOne campus by throwing a party to raise funds for the organization.
For more information visit: http://www.feedone.com/

The Hunger Site

Founded: 1999
Mission Statement: Since its launch in June 1999, The Hunger Site has established itself as a leader in online activism, helping to feed the world’s hungry and food insecure.
What they are known for: The Hunger Site uses free clicks and advertising to raise funds that supply food to partner organization for distribution all around the world. They also raise money from sales of fairtrade and handmade products on their website.
What have they done recently or are currently doing: Currently, The Hunger Site and parent group Greater Good are promoting The Girl Effect, an initiative that focuses on the power that educated young women can have in their communities. They are currently selling products that appeal to girls to raise funds to support this initiative.
How can I get involved: Get involved for free by clicking on the yellow banner at the top of the page or signing a hunger-related petition. You can also donate food for free by subscribing to The Hunger Site email list or purchasing fairtrade items for sale on the site.
For more information visit: http://thehungersite.greatergood.com/