How Five National NGOs Tackle Food Insecurity in the US
Photo Credit © Joel Muniz on Unsplash.
Hunger and food insecurity are problems that have a detrimental impact on the lives of millions of people across the globe. One some level, the average person is aware of food insecurity issues, but very few people understand the impact that food insecurity can have on individuals. What do we really mean by “food insecurity”? The US Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life; this term generally also implies that there is a lack of financial resources for food at the household level. [FN1]
Hunger issues in less-developed countries are a relatively well-known problem, but few people realize that food insecurity also has a massive impact on those who live within the United States. 1 in 9 Americans struggle with hunger issues, and in 2017, 40 million Americans were estimated to be food insecure. [FN2]
While hunger runs rampant in America, people who don’t suffer from food insecurity often look for ways to help out those who are going hungry. Fortunately, there are several national organizations in the fight against hunger in America.
Below are five of the best-known NGOs:
Feeding America
Feeding America has been helping to fight US hunger for 40 years, primarily by providing food for those in need through a nationwide network of more than 200 foodbanks. Feeding America describes itself as the “nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization.” [FN3]
To find out how to give to Feeding America visit https://www.feedingamerica.org/ways-to-give
Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels is active in all 50 states and aims to alleviate hunger among senior citizens by delivering meals to the homes of elderly people unable to prepare or purchase their own food. Currently, Meals on Wheels has over 1 million volunteers, and is always happy to accept more help or charitable donations. [FN4]
To find out how to give to Meals on Wheels, visit https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org
Share Our Strength
This nonprofit organization works tirelessly to relieve national and world hunger. Back in 2010, Share Our Strength launched a campaign in the US called “No Kid Hungry”, a campaign that accomplishes that goal by ending childhood hunger in the United States. No Kid Hungry programming provides school meals, after-school meals, summer meals, and food education to the children who need it the most. [FN5]
To find out how to support the No Kid Hungry program, visit https://www.nokidhungry.org/ways-you-can-help
Swipe Out Hunger
Swipe Out Hunger was founded in 2010 by a group of Los Angeles-based college students who wanted to help fight hunger in the college community. The initiative started because, contrary to what many people might believe, nationally 1 in 3 college students face food insecurity issues. To date, Swipe Out Hunger partners with 120 campuses across the country and has served over 2 million meals to college students in need of food. [FN6]
To find out how to give to Swipe Out Hunger visit https://www.swipehunger.org
#HashtagLunchbag
#HashtagLunchbag was started in 2012 in Los Angeles when a group of friends got together on Christmas with a goal of providing 100 meals to those who were hungry in their local community and then they shared what they were doing on social media. The idea immediately took off, with more and more people wanting to get involved on a regular basis, and now hosting monthly events where they create bagged lunches, complete with messages of love, for those in need. They encourage other to join one of their events, donate, or host an event of their own.[FN7]
To find out how to give to #HashtagLunchbag visit https://www.hashtaglunchbag.org/get-involved
References
4. https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/learn-more/research
5. https://www.nokidhungry.org/what-we-do