Food Relief: Fighting Global Hunger


While we in the west are concerned about what to eat and how to keep GE foods from polluting the gene pool, others around the world are going hungry each day, many living below the poverty level, in subsistence conditions without access to clean food, clean water or a way to feed their families. People die of starvation around the world every day! Here you will find links to food relief organizations many of which provide you with an opportunity to share your resources with those who are in need. I hope that together, we may overcome the obstacles which politics and greed have placed in our paths so that we can make the abundent food on our planet available to all. May you share your blessings and abundance with others!


America’s Second Harvest

Second Harvest distributes food and grocery products through a nationwide network of certified affiliates, increases public awareness of domestic hunger, and advocates for policies that benefit America's hungry.

Second Harvest’s network includes more than 200 food banks and food-rescue organizations, searchable by zip code, serving every county in the U.S.

Read all about the food bank concept and how it works. Read about hunger in America, take a deep look at the issues of children, seniors, the rural poor, and find out why Americans have to choose between food and other basic necessities. Learn how you can help: give funds, give food, give time.

CARE USA

CARE is one of the world's largest private international humanitarian organizations, committed to helping families in poor communities improve their lives and achieve lasting victories over poverty. CARE partners with a multitude of local, national and international organizations but are not managed by any government agency or religious group. More than 90 percent of CARE’s expended resources support program activities. Less than 10 percent of expended resources go toward administrative and fund-raising expenditures.

CARE campaigns include: the children and poverty campaign, the world hunger campaign, HIV/AIDS and CARE for the child. Donate online at CARE's website today.

Check out CARE’s interactive map of the world – click anywhere and find out about CARE projects in that part of the globe.

Take a virtual tour of Haiti, Ghana, Kosovo, Nepal and other large CARE recipients.

The Afghanistan Crisis Homepage contains complete country information and description of CARE projects in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan Special Report is a hyper-text link rich resource detailing the present situation in this war-devastated country.

The Iraq Crisis Homepage contains a country profile, a special report on the victims of war, and information about numerous CARE projects in this war-devastated country. NOTE: This homepage is no longer available. Read the latest from the CARE website about their office in Iraq:

"On Friday, November 21, 2003, CARE's office in Baghdad was attacked with three rocket-propelled grenades. The attack was carried out late at night, and resulted in minor damage to the outside of the building. No CARE staff members were injured. As a precaution, CARE has relocated expatriate staff from Baghdad to Amman, Jordan.

The attacks have heightened concerns about staff safety, and CARE is reviewing our operations in Iraq.

CARE has maintained a continuous presence in Iraq since the Gulf War in 1991, throughout the period of sanctions, and during the most recent conflict. CARE has assisted 11.5 million Iraqis since the end of the recent war, primarily in the areas of water and sanitation, health care and education.

We will provide updates about CARE's work in Iraq after completing our security assessment."

Caritas Internationalis 

Caritas Internationalis is a confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development and social service organisations working to build a better world, especially for the poor and oppressed, in over 200 countries and territories. Read the latest news about Caritas relief efforts around the world.Caritas believes that the weak and oppressed are not objects of pity, but agents of change leading the struggle to eradicate dehumanizing poverty, unacceptable living and working conditions.

Caritas in its own words: “We wish to promote Globalising Solidarity through advocacy work, believing, in Pope John Paul II's words, that 'the market be appropriately controlled by the forces of society and by the state to ensure that the basic needs of the whole society are satisfied' (Centesimus Annus 1991, #35)". (Download the pdf file to read the article). The creation of an International Alliance Against Hunger is an important development for Caritas Internationalis. This confederation of 162 relief, development and social services organizations has taken up “trade and food” as one of its main economic advocacy themes for the period 2003-2007.

Catholic Relief Services is the American aid agency through which individuals can align their efforts and gifts with the work of Caritas Internationalis. Catholic Relief Services was founded in 1943 by the Catholic Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and disadvantaged outside the country. The fundamental motivating force in all activities of CRS is the Gospel of Jesus Christ as it pertains to the alleviation of human suffering, the development of people and the fostering of charity and justice in the world. Check out the current CRS Project Catalog to search by geographic region or type of project. Project areas catalog individual projects country by country and give some information about each one. Project types include agriculture, health, HIV/AIDS, education and peace building. You can make a donation earmarked for individual projects within specific countries with a click of the mouse.

Devinder Sharma’s Appeal to Feed the Hungry in India

If your heart bleeds at the millions who die of starvation and hunger,  here is an opportunity to do your little bit. And I am not talking of five million pounds  (or about two and half million kilos) for the sake of public relations and propaganda. I  am talking of 40 MILLION TONNES of foodgrains that is lying surplus in India!

More than 40 MILLION TONNES of foodgrains (in addition to the requirement  of about 20 million tonnes for the food buffer) are stock piled in the open. This, when  the government figures themselves declare that out of the 360 million people officially  living below the poverty line, as many as 50 million are victims of starvation. It is an  ironic illustration of that cliche, a problem of plenty. While surplus food stocks rot in  the open, thousands die of starvation and hunger. And as if this is not enough, the  government has allowed the sale of foodgrains at a throwaway price to traders and  merchants for export when people in the country are waiting endlessly for two square meals  a day!

Every contribution that you make to the Ecological Foundation will be used for  MAKING FOOD AVAILABLE to the hungry millions. And believe me, the food that lies openly  stacked in India is not genetically manipulated. It is fit for human consumption.

In the name of the poor and hungry,

Devinder Sharma

You can send your contributions to:

Devinder Sharma is an award-winning journalist, writer, thinker and  researcher respected for his views on food and trade policy.

 Food For Life

The world’s largest vegetarian/vegan food relief organization, Food for Life is a unique project for bringing food and life to the needy of the world through the liberal distribution of karma-free vegetarian meals. The project started in 1974 when an elderly Indian swami, Srila Prabhupada, asked his followers to not allow anyone within a ten mile radius of the temple to go hungry. The program grew quickly and now operates in over 60 countries worldwide. Food for Life's volunteers serve more than 70,000 free vegetarian meals daily from their many free food restaurants, mobile kitchens, and emergency services. It is the  largest vegetarian/vegan food relief in the world. Up to 80% of the meals are strictly vegan and all are fully sanctified. Food for Life’s Disaster Relief Services send volunteers and food to the world’s most dangerous locations. The homepage has links to articles about vegan food and nutrition, food relief, Food for Life partners around the world, and vegan music. You can donate online.

Food Not Bombs

In their own words: “Food Not Bombs is one of the fastest growing revolutionary movements active today and is gaining momentum. There are hundreds of autonomous chapters sharing free vegetarian food with hungry people and protesting war and poverty throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia. Food Not Bombs is organizing for an end to the occupations of Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine. We also support actions against the globalization of the economy, restrictions to the movements of people and the destruction of the earth.”

“The first group was formed in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1980 by anti-nuclear activists. Food Not Bombs is an all volunteer organization dedicated to nonviolence. Food Not Bombs has no formal leaders and strives to include everyone in its decision making process. Each group recovers food that would otherwise be thrown out and makes fresh hot vegetarian meals that are served in city parks to anyone without restriction. The groups also serve free vegetarian meals at protests and other events. The San Francisco Chapter has been arrested over 1,000 times in an effort to silence its protest against the Mayor's anti- homeless policies. Amnesty International states it may adopt those Food Not Bombs volunteers that are imprisoned as ‘Prisoners of Conscience’ and will work for their unconditional release.”

“Food Not Bombs works in coalition with groups like Earth First!, The Leonard Peltier Defense Committee, Anarchist Black Cross, the IWW, Homes Not Jails, Anti Racist Action, In Defense of Animals, the Free Radio Movement and other organizations on the cutting edge of positive social change and resistance to the new global austerity program. One collective publishes a movement wide newsletter called A Food Not Bombs Menu. Another hosts FNB News where you can learn more about the Food Not Bombs community. Food Not Bombs Publishing in Takoma Park, Maryland publishes books like On Conflict and Consensus which has been an important guide for group democracy. We hope you will join us in taking direct action towards creating a world free from domination, coercion and violence. Food is a right, not a privilege.”

The Main Menu has links to Food Not Bombs groups, a Food Not Bombs handbook, Food Not Bombs Tours & educational links to resources about world hunger.

Food Relief

Every  month the Bhaktivedanta International Charities feeds over 6,000 needy  children in the drought and flood afflicted areas of Orissa, which  comprise some of  the poorest regions of India. Yet, there are hundreds of thousands of more  children who cannot be helped currently, due to lack of financial resources.  For as little as $11 a month you can sign up as a monthly donor and help  save these children. For every one dollar you give, six nourishing  meals can be distributed to these needy children. Check out the photo gallery of village children being fed, and the photos of volunteers in India. You can donate online on the homepage.

The Hunger Site: Give Food For Free to Hungry People in the World

The Hunger Site focuses the power of the Internet on a specific humanitarian need; the eradication of world hunger. On average, over 220,000 individuals from around the world visit the site each day to click the "give free food" button and help feed the hungry.

Each click on the "Give Free Food" button funds food for the hungry, paid for by site sponsors whose ads appear after you click and provided to people in need around the world through the efforts of Mercy Corps and America's Second Harvest. Each click helps feed the hungry with the value of 1.1 cups of staple food. The Hunger Site was the first online activism site on the Web. To date more that 200 million visitors have given more than 300 million cups of staple food. The staple food funded by The Hunger Site is paid for by site sponsors and is distributed to those in need by Mercy Corps and America's Second Harvest. 100% of funding from sponsor banner advertising goes to our charity partners. Funds are split between these organizations and go to the aid of hungry people in over 74 countries, including those in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and North America.

Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a not-for-profit organization that exists to alleviate suffering, poverty, and oppression by helping people build secure, productive, and just communities. With headquarters in the United States and Scotland, Mercy Corps is an international family of humanitarian agencies that reaches more than six million people each year.

Named one of WORTH magazine's top US charities, Mercy Corps has provided over $830 million in assistance to people in 80 nations.  More than 91% of the agency's resources are allocated to programs that directly assist those in need.

Mercy Corps Activities:

Mercy Corps provides emergency relief services that assist people afflicted by conflict or disaster.
Mercy Corps develops sustainable communities that meet the needs of children and families. Mercy Corps' integrated strategies include agriculture, economic development, health, housing and infrastructure and strengthening local organizations.
Mercy Corps promotes civil society initiatives in all its programs to encourage citizen participation, accountability, nonviolent conflict management, and the rule of law.

Check out the clickable world map of  Mercy Corps programs in various regions of the globe to find out more.

Donate Now!


ReliefWeb

A portal for global humanitarian relief workers, ReliefWeb is a project of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

On the homepage, you’ll find headline news from the world’s trouble spots, and links archives of articles relevant to many countries with ongoing crises including: Haiti, occupied Palestinian territories, Iraq, Colombia, Uganda and more.

United Nations World Food Programme

The world’s largest humanitarian aid agency, the UNWFP is the United Nations frontline agency in the fight against global hunger. In 2002, WFP fed 72 million people in 82 countries, including most of the world's refugees and internally displaced people.

The Haiti Crisis Homepage contains updates and background information on WFP's humanitarian operations in Haiti: includes news and feature stories, press releases, latest galleries, media contacts and country briefs. There’s a button to donate online.

The Somalia Crisis Homepage features WFP public information officer Marcus Prior’s diary from his travels into Somalia. Despite security concerns following the murder of two aid workers, WFP staff are working to feed the most vulnerable.

The Appeals homepage highlights vitally important current projects, such as the Palestinian aid project.

WFP policy papers contain in-depth analysis on the role of food aid in promoting social and economic development, monetizing food aid, gender policy and food aid, and more.

Here’s information on how you can help and a way to donate online.

Vandana Shiva 

Dr. Vandana Shiva, an Indian quantum physicist and activist, has done much in her native India to help people organize and fight giant corporate agribusiness’ crimes. She helped in the campaign against Coca Cola, for instance, illegally obtaining precious clean water for their manufacturing plant. Dr. Vandana Shiva’s Znet Homepage is an archive of Dr. Shiva’s articles. In India she has established Navdanya, a non violent activist movement for biodiversity conservation and farmers' rights whose tactics stem from the satyagraha teachings of M. K. Gandhi. She directs the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology in Dera Dun, Uttar Pradesh, India. Her most recent books are Biopiracy: The Plunder of Nature and Knowledge and Stolen Harvest: The Hijacking of the Global Food Supply.

The What If Foundation

Margaret Trost, the founder of The What If Foundation, visited Haiti, for the first time in 2000. “She was stunned by the overwhelming poverty, but also deeply moved by the strength, determination and faith of the people she met. Returning home to the US, Margaret created the What If? Foundation with the “goal of providing food and education to impoverished children.” The Foundation’s “Feed My Lambs” works with Father Jean-Juste, in the outskirts of Port Au Prince, (the capital of Haiti) feeding over 500 children twice a week, every Wednesday and Sunday. Food is purchased from local Haitian farmers, prepared by dedicated cooks and served by 60 volunteers from the St. Clare's Catholic Parish, many of whom are hungry children themselves. Margaret told me that after the children are served, often there is enough food left over to feed the elderly, and then other adults.

Many children and families during this recent coup (2004) have reported to Father Jean-Juste that they hadn’t eaten in days. According to the World Bank, Haiti is the third hungriest country in the world.

You can help feed the children and the hungry in Haiti. One meal to feed a hungry child costs only $.50. You can make your tax deductible contribution by printing this form from their website and mailing your check to:


The What If Foundation? 
1563 Solano Ave.#192
Berkeley, CA 94707
or calling Margaret at (888)228-8020 to pay by credit card.

Read Margaret's Correspondence with Father Jean-Juste in Haiti to hear how the Feed My Lambs Program continues in spite of the coup, hurricanes & Father Jean-Juste's political imprisonment in October 2004. You'll find articles, editorials and contacts to help free Father Jean-Juste since his imprisonment.

Articles: Correspondence with Haiti Spring 2004 Read Father Jean-Juste's correspondences from Haiti and learn about the struggle to feed the hungry amidst political chaos.  more  >> Haiti After the Hurricanes 2004 Aletter from Haiti about the continuing work to feed the children during political and environmental crisis.  more  >> Haiti's Father Jean-Juste Imprisoned!! by Margaret Trost     Fr. Jean-Juste, the Coordinator of the Feed My Lambs food program was beaten and dragged from the rectory of St. Claire's Church in Port-au-Prince, Haiti Oct.13,2004. Article, plus updates.  more  >> Help Get Fr. Jean-Juste Out of Prison by Margaret Trost     Help free Haitian Fr. Jean-Juste from prison so he can continue his work feeding the poor.  more  >> What If Foundation Correspondence Archive by Margaret Trost     Find all of the correspondence between Father Jean-Juste in Haiti and Margaret Trost of What If Foundation published here at Satya Center  more  >> Health, Human Rights, and GM crops by Dr. Mae-Wan Ho    10/3/2005 Adopting GM crops when oil and water are both rapidly depleting under global warming, and when industrial monoculture is showing all the signs of collapse is a crime against humanity and our planet.  more  >> Our Collapsing Food System -- And How to Fix It by Curtis Lang and Jane Sherry    2/24/2006 The global agricultural-industrial complex is destroying the environment, exploiting farmers around the world, and delivering low-quality, high-cost food to unwary consumers. But a host of alternatives are springing up to provide nutritious food from sustainable farm communities.  more  >> The Global Organic Foods Boom by Dr. Mae-Wan Ho    10/3/2005 Organic certification standards were initially developed by farmers and farmer organizations but new, third-party, market-driven and government mandated standards threaten to turn the organic food market over to corporate agribusiness.  more  >> Wanted: Fifty Million Farmers by Richard Heinberg    11/1/2006 The de-industrialization of agriculture in an era of expensive oil could be managed without catastrophes and could substantially benefit society and the environment in the long run. Here's how.  more  >> more articles >>