'Cause Everyone Needs to Eat

"There is no more important global goal than ending hunger," stated Alan Larson, Undersecretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs during the Clinton and Bush Administration, "More than 800 million people around the world are hungry or malnourished."
While the U.S. has been the largest supplier of food aid and contributor to the U.N.'s World Food Program, one billion people still live off less than one dollar per day. According to World Hunger Notes, 2.6 billion people live on less than two dollars a day and spend half of that on food.

The act of starving goes far beyond its definition or just being hungry. Without food or fat storage, the body begins to eat away its muscles in order to provide energy to keep the central nervous system and heart alive. The atrophy of the stomach weakens the percentage of hunger and thirst, so people will become dehydrated as well. Because of the atrophy of the muscles and severe dehydration, any movement becomes too painful.



World hunger map provided by the World Food Programme

As Larson stated, the most important goal is to end world hunger. However, this goal cannot be achieved by governments. This problem needs to be addressed by everyone because it affects everyone.

There are two things that you can do to achieve this goal: get involved by politics and donate to non-profit organizations.

It is important to understand what your candidate for President believes in this issue. The ONE Campaign has started a petition to Presidential Debate moderator Jim Lehrer calling on him to ask Barack Obama and John McCain their plans to fight global poverty. Click here to sign the petition so you know how your candidate feels about this important matter.

To eradicate this crisis, the people that suffer must learn to be self-reliance.

"Unlike many other relief organizations, we stay long after the crisis has ended to help communities fully recover and get back to self-reliance," states the International Medical Corps. "We believe no emergency response effort is complete without passing on the skills and resources communities need to be able to care of themselves. "

IMC is a non-profit, voluntary, non-political organization. Because of this they are able to help people that need help without taking sides on religion or politics. They have received a 4 star rating, the highest rating by Charity Navigator, with 92 percent of there income going directly to program expenses.

In 8 days, American Express is having the first voting to determine the top 5 projects for their Member's Project. AmEx is inviting people to come up with ideas to help people. After the voting, they will give $2.5 million dollars to the top projects.

IMC has backed a project that will feed malnourished children around the world.

Hunger and malnutrition kill more people in the world than HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria combined. As food prices rise, this funding is even more critical. More people are being driven deeper into poverty trying to afford basic staples. Many have nothing to eat at all. Your vote makes it possible for fewer young lives to be lost because they do not have enough to eat.

While our government does give a lot of money and resources to people who need it, it is not enough. World hunger is something that can be fought and won with the support of the people from every nation. Learn about your politicians and find out what they believe in. Support non-profit organizations as well.

If you do not have money to donate, support in other ways. Donate your time by volunteering, sign the ONE Declaration, or check out Click to Give, a website dedicated to feeding the hungry with free ways to give.